


Back to the Future

by ValidEmail



Series: Back to the Future Trilogy [1]
Category: Back to the Future (Movies), Falsettos - Lapine/Finn
Genre: Back To The Future Parody, F/F, F/M, Gay, M/M, Modern AU, Multi, Out of Characters, Secret Relationships, but they weren't friends either, chess clubs, jason is nine in this!!, marvin and trina never dated!!!, time traveling skateboards, ugly dances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-11-04
Packaged: 2019-01-08 09:59:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 21,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12252069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValidEmail/pseuds/ValidEmail
Summary: Jason Gershwin had been hoping for a normal Saturday. Instead, his inventor aunt hands him a time-traveling skateboard, causing him to go all the way back to 2004, his family's senior year of high school. As time seems to run out, and Jason realizes meddling in this relationships might not work out correctly, he has to find a way to both fix his family and get back in time for his dad's summer barbecue.





	1. Gotta Go Back In Time

Jason Gershwin’s adventure started one fateful Saturday morning, when he had slipped on his rain boots despite the fact that it was sunny outside, along with his gloves due to his papa’s insistence. He’d pushed open the front door, promising to be back in time for lunch, as his dad had worked hard on the barbecue planned for that summer day, and then raced across the street to greet his aunts. Charlotte swung open the door before he had even gotten to the front step, since she had seen him darting across her lawn. She waved to him, a grin spreading across her face that appeared whenever Jason was near - he was too endearing for her not to. He noticed her, and leapt up into her arms, prompting her to swing him around. 

 

“Aye carumba, J, you’re getting too big for me to pick you up off the ground like this!” She exclaimed, in tune with the child’s delighted squeals. She clutched him tightly to her chest, and then set him back down on the stone. Leaning a hand on her hip, she cocked one eyebrow down at the nine-year-old inquisitively. “Whatcha doin’ over here so early, munchkin? Did your dad change something about his party later today?”

 

“Aunt Cee-Cee, you know dad would never change something as important as this barbecue so soon to it’s set time,” He chided, rolling his eyes at her question. She smiled down at him, shaking her head lovingly.

 

“You’re just like your papa, honestly. Even your hair,” At this, she ruffled the curls lovingly. Jason knelt into it, appreciating the attention. Charlotte caught the eye of Whizzer, who was watching his son from out of his window. She waved to him, and then put a hand on Jason’s back to lead him carefully into her house. She shut the door behind them, and Jason peered into the adjoining living room.

 

“Where’s Aunt Delia? Isn’t she supposed to be cooking a cake for this afternoon?” Jason pondered, scratching his cheek as Charlotte ushered him along so they could talk not right beside the door.

 

“Aunt Delia is off catering a bat mitzvah, so she’ll be back soon. Don’t worry about the cake, though,” She knelt down and poked Jason’s nose, who scrunched it up in retaliation. “She cooked it last night. Not that you could see it now.” She warned him, Jason pouting playfully as Charlotte straightened her legs again.

 

“I came over because I wanted to see if you had anything new in the workshop,” He answered her question from earlier, strolling past her, down a route he had walked so many times before. Charlotte, watching the small boy head deeper into the hallway, was overcome for a moment by love for her nephew. She fought back happy tears, and then followed him dutifully. Jason turned, passing the kitchen after lingering for a moment, as though that would convince his aunt to allow him to sneak a peek at the cake they were to eat earlier that day. 

  
“For you, munchkin, I’ll always have new stuff. As you might have guessed, I do have something I’d like you to test out. It was originally going to be a birthday present…” Charlotte leaned over Jason to push open the door with one hand, as she always did. Jason watched in amazement as it swung open to reveal gadgets of every size working their paces inside. He sped in excitedly, the lesbian closing the door behind her tightly in order to not disrupt any other part of the house. “...But I can’t say no to you.” Jason gave her a proud smile, showing off his missing front tooth.

 

“No one ever can,” He sing-songed, eyeing the table full of unused parts with curiosity, before twisting his face back to his aunt. “Where’s the new invention?” He stuttered over the big word, her heart growing more at the sound, if that was possible. Charlotte clasped her hands together excitedly.

 

“Wait for me, I have to get my lab coat on. And so do you,” She added, pointing at him. Jason nodded firmly, face suddenly serious, and the two rushed to their hanging coats on the wall. Jason tugged his own, and it flopped over his limbs as it was way too big for him. Since Cordelia had sewn it without his exact measurements, the entire ensemble was off. Yet Jason refused to get another one. He loved it with all of his heart. Charlotte tugged on her fitted one with him, and then directed him to the front of the workshop, or the garage. 

 

“I made this skateboard,” She took it off the wall, and presented it to Jason, who marveled at it. There were pink swirls flooding into the black base, explodes of blues at each corner. It was absolutely stunning. “I know your dad will be butthurt about it, but you’re a smart kid, so I knew I could trust you with it. Just go slow, alright?” She leaned down once more, close enough to whisper in his ear so that only Jason could hear. “I tried to make it so that if you believe enough, the skateboard will take you back in time.” Pulling back, she smiled at Jason’s pure shock. In reality, it was just a regular skateboard she had painted on in an effort to make it appear more futuristic. At least, she thought she had. He bounced up and down in giddiness.

 

“Can I try it out now, Aunt Cee-Cee? Oh, please let me try it out now!” He pleaded, Charlotte watching him for a pause before nodding her approval. She lumbered over to the garage door, and manually yanked it upwards. The companions watched the sunlight flood through the workshop. Jason raced out onto the driveway, plopping the skateboard onto the smooth surface with a grin on his face. Whizzer, luckily, had disappeared from the window, probably rushing around to prepare for the barbecue he was hosting. 

“Be careful, Jason,” Charlotte called out from the edge of the garage. Jason waved her off with one slightly pudgy hand, and sat himself down on the skateboard. “Don’t go into the street with it, buddy.” 

 

He ignored her, as nine year olds usually did, and pushed back to gather momentum. Charlotte realized what was about to happen, and ran out into the driveway before it could happen. Jason was too quick for her though, and was down the driveway when she swung her arms to grab onto him. He was laughing excitedly, and Charlotte felt faint as he sped across the road. Jason turned his head back to her to see her reaction at his fast speeds, and at that moment, pleaded with the sky to time travel. Charlotte DuBois watched in terror as her nephew literally disappeared into thin air. The woman tittered in her stance for a moment, a hand coming to slap over her mouth in shock. The skateboard was also gone, as if Jason had never existed. Her eyes rolled back up into her head, and she crumbled into the grass, going unconscious from the shock of it all.

 

About thirteen years before, Jason cracked open his fearful eyes to see a tall, gangly boy staring down at him in slight concern. After noticing the quiffed hair and the thin lips that could only belong to one man he had ever known, Jason leaned up on his scratched elbows, as he had crashed into this boy’s driveway, and gasped loudly.

 

“Dad?” 


	2. Maniac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jason meets almost all of his family, Cordelia is motherly, and Marvin is problematic. As always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if there's any editing mistakes ! i didn't get the chance to print this out to fully reread it over again . also, my writing schedule might be a little messed up because i'm trying to figure out whether i'll post a new chapter every other day or every two days, since they'll be getting longer as i go along . : ) cheers ! - anna

The boy raised both eyebrows in utter surprise at Jason’s mumblings. He stepped back, allowing the child space to fully stand up. His lab coat still clung to his body, his gloves the only things protecting his hands from being ruined by the hard concrete.

 

“Woah, kiddo, I am not your dad,” He corrected Jason, voice higher than it normally was. Jason watched his dad in utter confusion.

 

“Uh, yes, you are. You look just like him! Except, a little younger. Where’s papa?” Jason pouted, hand gripping his skateboard tightly. The teen looked as though he had seen a ghost.

 

“You’ve got two dads? Jesus, what year are you from?” He gasped out, laughing humorlessly due to the surprise of it all. The question had been rhetorical, but Jason, being a nine year old, didn’t comprehend that. 

 

“2017, silly! Isn’t that the year right now? It’s my dad and papa’s ninth wedding anniversary soon,” Jason giggled, stepping closer to hug onto his dad’s pant leg. The boy cautiously took another step back, skinny jeans tight around his legs.

 

“I’m not your dad,” He repeated shakily, holding out his hands at arm's length to stop Jason from touching him. “My name is Whizzer Brown, and currently it’s the year 2004.” He took a breath, and blinked rapidly. Jason lolled his head to the side, watching the boy who apparently wasn’t his dad try to stop himself from having a panic attack.

 

“Oh my god, you’re my kid from the future!” Whizzer shrieked, gesturing loosely in Jason’s direction. “Oh my god! Oh my god, I have a kid in the future! I’m married in the future! How is that possible?” Jason presented the skateboard to him.

 

“This skateboard! If I believe enough, it teleports me back in time,” Jason told him proudly, Whizzer touching it softly before leaping back in complete fear. His freaked out face slid into something more stern, as he calculated the situation.

 

“Is this a prank? Did Marvin set you up to this? I’m gonna fucking kill that idiot,” Whizzer turned on his heel to march away. Jason dropped his skateboard and grabbed onto Whizzer’s pant leg, yanking him back before he could disappear. Whizzer screamed in terror, and twisted his body around to stare at his future kid.

 

“Who’s Marvin?” Jason raised an eyebrow, the name shifting in his mind. “I mean, I know someone named Marvin, but I can’t remember who it is.” He tapped his chin, Whizzer shaking his head in amazement at the tiny child.

 

“You’re something else,” Whizzer whispered to himself. “Okay, clearly I’m going crazy. But I’ll bite. Who’s your papa? Who am I married to?” Whizzer knelt down, Jason pursing his lips together.

 

“I feel like I’m not supposed to tell you that,” He replied firmly, Whizzer letting out a crazed cackle as he straightened his legs. Slapping a hand against his forehead, he eyed Jason carefully.

 

“Alright, kid, I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you. I have to go to school, though. Wanna come with me?” Whizzer stuck out his hand, and Jason took it, allowing the teen to lead him onwards towards the high school. As they followed the sidewalk, Jason admired this younger version of his father. His face was more babyish, and his hair was sloppier than usual. He didn’t have the confident stance that his dad held, instead there was panic noticeably radiating off of him in waves as they neared the school’s entrance. 

 

“What’s wrong? Do you not like school?” Jason questioned him, memories of his father complaining about school memories to his friends when the family came over every Saturday circulating loosely. Whizzer shook his head roughly.

 

“It’s not my favorite thing,” He admitted, checking both sides of the street before rushing himself and the small child across the road to the side of the street where the school rested. There was a high-pitched squeal, and then a flurry of blond attacked Whizzer in a bear hug. He almost stumbled backwards into the road, Jason letting go of his sweaty hand to register. The girl pulled back, and Jason was delighted to see that it was a younger version of his Aunt Delia. She grinned excitedly at Whizzer, who smiled down at her.

 

“Hello, Delia,” He greeted, the girl removing her hands from his shoulders. Jason tugged on her sweater, and she glanced down in confusion. Jabbing a finger at Jason, Delia turned back to Whizzer, who shoved in his hands into his pockets, appearing slightly sheepish.

 

“Who is this?” She furrowed her thin eyebrows, almost unnoticeable against her pale skin. Whizzer grimaced down, trying to decide what to tell her.

 

“He’s my, uh…” He trailed off, then motioned for Cordelia to come closer. “Apparently, he’s my future child. That’s what he tells me, but I really just think I’ve gotten hit in the head by a baseball one too many times.” Jason’s face lit up at the mention of baseball.

 

“You play baseball? My dad plays ball with me every weekend! Papa hates the game, though. He constantly complains whenever dad watches it. Or, whenever the older you watches it,” Jason added at end. Cordelia’s face resembled Whizzer’s when he had first seen Jason.

 

“Oh, christ,” She breathed. “I took some heavy shit last night.” She spun to face Jason once more, eyeing him worriedly.

 

“Do you know who I am?” She asked him slowly, fearful of what he would tell her. Jason nodded vigorously, and Cordelia paled noticeably. 

 

“Yeah, you’re my Aunt Delia! You baked a cake last night for our barbecue. Well, my dad’s barbecue,” Jason leaned into her to whisper loudly, “he’s kinda controlling when it comes to parties.” Cordelia snapped her mouth shut in order to appear less terrified, and faced her best friend again.

 

“Well, you aren’t lying. Let’s just… not worry about this anymore, okay? We’ll figure out what to do with the kid after school,” Cordelia motioned with her hands, Whizzer nodding. She pressed her lips together tightly, and then directed Jason beside her for the trio to enter the school. 

 

“Where are we gonna hide him?” Whizzer asked her, stopping them underneath a tree. He grabbed onto her arm to shake her out of a daze that would usually come over her whenever she was allowed to wander. “I’ve never had a kid to take care of before. Delia, I’m gay. I can’t get someone accidentally pregnant. How the hell did I even get this child?”

 

“I guess we’ll hide him outside. I don’t know what else to do,” Cordelia shrugged, Whizzer gaping at her dramatically. He threw his arms around Jason’s shoulders, letting out an offended huff. “Also, how am I supposed to know? This the future we’re talking about, and there’s a ninety-nine percent chance that this kid is just messing around with us.”

 

“Delia, this is my future child you are talking about! What if someone takes him? The course of history will be disastrously altered,” He gasped, Jason stiffening at the sudden contact when Whizzer cupped his hands around his ears in order to pretend to block out the conversation he and Delia were having. Cordelia folded her arms, and rolled her eyes.

 

“Well, what else are we supposed to do? Bring him to class with us? That will ruin our 4.0 GPA, Whiz, you know that,” She argued, Whizzer biting his lip in confliction. There was a barking laugh behind Cordelia, and the trio looked up to see none other than Marvin Gershwin standing there in his gangly glory, hands on his hips. Whizzer pushed Jason behind him, the kid following, though he was overjoyed to see his papa in this reality. He looked a little more snobbish, Jason would say, than what he was in the future. His arms were smaller, and he didn’t have the loving glow that surrounded him constantly whenever either Jason’s dad or Jason himself were near. 

 

“If it isn’t the cutest couple at Omaha High,” He teased, strolling closer to Delia. She wrinkled her nose in his direction, Whizzer glaring holes into his face. 

 

“Fuck off, Marvin. Your stench is going to overrun my perfume,” Cordelia snapped at him roughly. He mockingly held his hands up in the hand, laughing as she rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

 

“You heard her. We’re dealing with something right now,” Whizzer hissed, his and Marvin’s eyes meeting. There was a spark of electricity between them, a hint of holding back, as the two were resisting the urge to make out in front of the entire student body. Marvin almost took a step forward, but he chose to stand still. Whizzer licked his lips almost unconsciously, a shiver raking through the other boy’s body. Jason hid his face in Whizzer’s jeans, attempting to disappear. Marvin was so wrapped up in Whizzer that he hadn’t noticed the small child behind his enemy. 

 

“When have you ever known me to fuck off?” Marvin asked him smugly, snapping out of his slight daze. Whizzer dropped the hand he had set on Jason’s head to ball into a fist at his side. 

 

“Are you ever not annoying?” Whizzer growled out, Marvin folding his arms across his chest. Cordelia rolled her eyes at the oncoming fight that was to occur between the two boys. It was a daily event. 

 

“Only for you, baby,” Marvin winked teasingly, Whizzer scoffing and stepping forward instantly. Marvin sized him up, eyes lingering at Whizzer’s chest area before counting back up to his face. They were nose to nose then, the sexual tension fluttering through. 

 

Jason grimaced at the two, knowing that whenever his parents fought like this he’d be sent off to his mom and stepdad's house for about a day before his dad would come to pick him up, a lovesick grin on his face and his hair all mussed up. His mother would tut at Whizzer’s appearance, but then smile at her friend and they’d talk for about five minutes, mostly about baseball and how their husbands were doing. Then his dad would pluck up Jason, rest him on his shoulders, and march on home with him, the two singing together. His dad would heighten his voice to match Jason’s, and when they got back to the house, his papa would welcome the two with open arms. His lips quivered. It had only been about ten minutes, but he already missed his dads. 

 

“Choke on a chess piece, dumbass,” Whizzer scowled, shoving Marvin back quite forcefully. The boy stumbled to a stop, face growing more angry as the atmosphere heightened. Jason’s eyes widened. This certainly was not like how his parents fought. They’d always stay playful, bouncing around each other like the rudolphs in that one Christmas movie, and every comment his dad would throw his papa would blush a deep red. Here, they looked as though they were ready to kill each other at a moment's notice. 

 

“I’m sure you’d enjoy that better than me,” Marvin replied snootily. In a second, Whizzer’s hand was connected to his face. Marvin stumbled back with a gasp, the red handprints on his cheek evident. The students close to them looked up at the sound of the commotion. Cordelia, remembering Jason, tugged him to her hip, in the same way the older version of her would whenever Jason was too tired or scared by something he had seen. Marvin was on Whizzer, the two boys tumbling to the ground as the fists collided, screams of both agony and hatred erupting from the mess. Cordelia looked as though she was about to step in, since Whizzer’s face had revealed a black eye, but the obvious principal did it for her. He stormed over, and yanked the two teens apart furiously.

 

“Can’t trust you boys to ever have one civil conversation, can I?” He snarled, Whizzer and Marvin both having the decency to look sheepish. He dragged them inside, Whizzer sharing a scared glance towards Cordelia before he disappeared to most likely be put in In School Suspension with Marvin. After visiting the nurse, of course. The crowd dispersed, and Cordelia gingerly removed Jason from her skirt side, so see that he was crying silently. Kneeling down to his height, she grabbed his cheeks and stared at him worriedly.

 

“Why are you crying? It’s alright, they fight like that everyday,” She told him, causing Jason to sob harder. She looked vaguely uncomfortable to be holding a shaking child in her arms in public, so she picked him up and ducked over towards the football field for some privacy. Setting him down, she winced at his weight, and Jason watched her with Bambi eyes.

 

“That doesn’t make me feel better! They aren’t supposed to! They never do in the future-” He cut himself off, a memory resurfacing in his mind. His step-dad had made both him and Whizzer watch this weird movie, calling them uncultured before he did so. He recalled that it was about a boy who had gone to the future had to try to get his parents together, without telling them their future. He bit down on his lip so hard he almost made it bled. He had already slipped up telling both Cordelia and Whizzer, but it was obvious the two did not believe him. Cordelia was watching him, waiting for him to continue. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m gonna mess something up.” 

 

“Trust me kid, you probably already have,” She chuckled weakly. The bell rang then, and she glanced back at the high school with an expression of worry. Taking Jason’s face into her soft palms, she shook him slightly. 

 

“Be careful, alright? Whiz will kill me if he finds out I just left you here. Don’t tell him I told you this, but he loves kids. Just make yourself hidden, okay? And then after school Whiz and I will find your parents, or whoever you belong to,” She promised him, and in a strange moment of recklessness, pressed a kiss to his forehead. Jason attempted to grab onto her satchel as she raced away to make it to her first class, but missed. He pouted to the air, upset that every adult or older person in his vicinity had left him. 

 

Turning to explore the high school a little more, he stumbled into the back of a girl clad in leather. She twisted around to eye the perpetrator who had bumped into her, a cigarette hanging loosely in her hand. Jason wondered how exactly had she and the rest of her gang had gotten there, when his eyes widened comically. This girl looked exactly like his Aunt Cee-Cee. Instead of blurting that out like he had twice before, he slapped his hands across his mouth, both at the appearance of the cigarette, and the fact that he had to stop himself from revealing who he was. She stared down at him with a scowl on her face, and it was evident she wanted him to leave.

 

“Who left you here?” She snarled. Jason wiped his eyes quickly, understanding that he must stay strong in the face of his younger family. 

 

“C-Cordelia,” He replied, then slapped a hand to his forehead. “Oh, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that! She said that if anyone figured it out Whizz...er would kill her!” The girl chuckled, and one of her friends tugged on her jacket annoyedly.

 

“Come on, Charlotte, before one of the teachers catch us out here,” He rushed, the girl waving him off. She didn’t even look at him, choosing to keep looking at Jason with an amused expression.

 

“Who’s your mom? Is Cordelia your sister?” Charlotte raised an eyebrow. Jason shook his head, pondering slightly what to tell her exactly.

 

“No, Cordelia isn’t my sister. My mom isn’t here right now. I live with my dads- dad. I live with my dad,” He corrected himself, refusing to reveal any other information that might rip this reality apart. Charlotte nodded to herself, her goonies huffing impatiently.

 

“Just take the kid with you, Char, we gotta get under the bleachers before gym starts,” One girl told her gruffly, Charlotte nodding as a sick smile began to spread over her face. Jason didn’t like the look of that. He fought the urge to take a fearful step.

 

“You wanna come with me?” Charlotte pressed the cigarette to her mouth. A chill ran over Jason’s body. This was not his Aunt Cee-Cee, no matter how much she looked like her. Aunt Cee-Cee was made of warm hugs and puns that made Aunt Delia (or Cordelia, as he now knew) groan lovingly. He stepped backwards, almost falling onto the grass. His skateboard nearly slipped from his grip. Charlotte cackled evilly, as did her followers.

 

“Run along now, kiddo, before you get into something you’ll regret,” She kicked at him with her boot. Jason stared up at her, trying to find any remnants of the woman he knew, and then dashed away. He ran until his little body was practically on fire, causing him to gasp into the misty air. What month was it? He blinked rapidly, feeling tears come on again once he was alone. He crumbled into the dewy grass on the other side of the football field, at another set of bleachers, and let himself tear up slightly. Reaching down to pull at the grass strands, he held tightly to his skateboard, which he had almost dropped multiple times, and prepared to count the minutes before he was back in his papa’s strong arms again. 


	3. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Jason meets the rest of his family, Whizzer is done, and Marvin plays chess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahh what else can i write besides introductory shit ??? nothing lol the plot will come i just write way too much description

Jason found his step-dad inside the gym, watching the cheerleaders gather in their gaggle longingly. He clambered up the unfolded bleachers to sit down beside the small man, marveling at his large hair and uncomfortable stance. Finally, one character from his reality that appeared to be the same as the other. He tapped the boy’s shoulder, no one paying attention to the child that had just snuck into the gym. His step-father turned, and gave a yelp at the sight of the nine year old.

 

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” He stuttered out, eyes growing comically wide. Jason held the skateboard to his chest, and gestured loosely to the open doorway. 

 

“I was caught up in Cee-Charlotte’s gang and then came in here cause it looked warmer than it was outside,” He easily lied. It occurred to him, suddenly, that he had not told neither Whizzer, Cordelia, or Charlotte his actual name. “My name is.. Matt. Matthew. Yeah.” His step-dad appeared unconvinced, but shifted back into his original seating position.

 

“Alright, what brought you here, Matt? I mean, this is a high school gym. Shouldn’t you be at  the other wing for the elementary?” His step-dad loosely pointed down the hallway to the rest of the school. Jason shrugged.

 

“I don’t go here,” He put blantly, not willing to give up any more information. He had to be smarter about this. “Why aren’t you partic...participating?” His stepfather gave a long sigh then, and turned his attention back to the giggling cheerleaders across the way.

 

“I’m not a sports person. I’m more of a mentally smart guy, you know? Also, I have zero friends,” He admitted plainly. Jason frowned sympathetically. He knew what that felt like. The other kids at school would behave strangely in his direction because of his weird family, besides Heather Levin, but she was friends with everyone. Heather Levin didn’t really count in Jason’s mind. His only friends were his family, and so far, Jason was alright with that. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt to eat lunch by himself everyday, though. 

 

“I understand. I don’t have any friends at school either,” Jason told him, his stepfather nodding while peering to catch a glimpse of the skateboard. Jason hugged it tighter to his chest, and then shifted so that he was fully seated beside the taller boy. 

 

“Can I get your advice for something? Even if it sounds crazy?” He blurted out, cursing at himself inwardly for saying that. And then cursing at himself once more for using curse words in the first place. Mendel nodded, and twisted his position so that he was staring fully at Jason. Taking a deep breath, Jason spread his small fingers out in front of him.

 

“Say you’re from the future. You’re the child of two of gay men, but in this reality, they are enemies in high school. Your aunt is the leader of a bunch of greasers and your other aunt is just kinda the same. Your mom is… well, you haven’t really found her yet. Your step-dad is a loser, although that isn’t different from what he is in your world. What do you do?” He rushed out. Mendel furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

 

“Well… I suppose you’d follow the rulings from Back to the Future,” He replied slowly. “Get your parents together before you mess up the future too much, and then get back. Or, I don’t really know. It’s not a very relatable situation. You’re a strange kid.” Jason shrugged.

 

“My dad tells me that all the time,” He admitted. Mendel snickered at his response, and turned his head back to the cheerleaders. 

 

“Why are you staring at the cheerleaders?” His stepfather gave a short breath through his nose then, and pinked.

 

“Uh… the main cheerleader, Trina Macintosh, is really sweet,” He pointed her out, then, and Jason gaped for a moment. This girl, though younger, appeared as his mother. Her hair in ringlets bouncing against her pale skin, she smiled the same sweet smile she’d give to Jason on the days he went over to visit her, and laughed along with her friends.

 

“She looks nice,” Was all Jason could muster up to say. He thought he had missed his dad and papa, but seeing his mother changed everything. What he would give to have the healing power of a mother’s hug right now. Sucking it back inside, he gave a small grin to his stepfather, preparing to jump down from the bleachers. “Well it was nice to meet you. I should head back outside now.” Knowing he’d miss his stepfather just as much, he gave a quick hug to the boy, even though he didn’t return it. Waving towards the surprised teen, he bounced away, almost tripping over his long lab coat, and rushed from the gym into the rest of the school. Ducking into a janitor’s closet, he decided this would be the place to find shelter for the rest of the day. 

 

Jason, inevitably, found himself wander into the chess club meeting at one point or another. He had fallen asleep on the ground, and when the janitor had cracked open the closet, his rush to hide had been so quick that he’d spilled water all over himself. So he washed up, and headed out into the hallways to thankfully see that it was after school. As he strolled through, he noticed that there were only about five people. One boy, one recognized quite well, was playing by himself, calculating moves against his invisible opponent rather carefully. He bounced over to his papa, and tapped him on the shoulder, catching his attention. Marvin jumped in his seat, eyes widening at the sight of the small child.

 

“How-Are you here because one of your siblings is in an after school club?” He asked carefully, Jason shaking his head. He gestured to the chess set.

 

"Can I play against you?" Jason questioned innocently, tilting his head up at the strangely taller Marvin. The teenager smirked proudly down at the child, and folded his arms across his chest.

 

"Sure thing, kid," Marvin told him, motioning for him to plop down beside the set of white pieces. Jason sat across from him, the broken chess set appearing endearing when he looked at it from that angle. He set his skateboard down on the wall beside him. "Just be prepared to lose." Marvin tapped his finger against the side of the table, and then moved a pawn.

 

Jason came out on top in a matter of moments, leaving Marvin shocked and steaming. Jauntily, Jason stood, Marvin lifting his gangly legs off of his seat. They stared at one another for a moment, the rest of the club choosing to pointedly ignore them.

 

"Shit, kid, are you a prodigy or something? Who taught you how to play chess?" Marvin guffawed, lifting an eyebrow down at Jason. 

 

Memories of countless hours spent playing chess with his father appeared in his mind, Marvin patient and overjoyed that his son had such a knack for the game. They’d sit for long periods of time, Marvin pointing out different ways to check him every time Jason came close. 

 

At Jason’s first time beating him, Marvin had laughed from sheer joy, and had scooped Jason up in his arms, twirling him around the living room. His dad had intervened then, acting as though he was disappointed in his husband for endangering their child. With Marvin saddened that the festivities had been cut off, Jason’s dad almost disappeared back into the kitchen, when instead he picked Jason up and began to throw him around. Clacking, the two men snuggled lovingly with the then seven year old Jason, Marvin’s eyes shining with both pride and tears. When Marvin was off on business trips, his dad would always willingly step into feed Jason's growing love for chess. Jason looked at Marvin with a look of unbridled affection.

 

"I learned from the best," Was all he said. Marvin watched him questioningly for a moment, before reaching down a hand to ruffle his hair. It was in such a similar fashion to what his papa would usually do that Jason almost burst into tears for what was most likely the fifth time that day. He instead took a deep breath, and forced them down. “Also, my name is Matt, not kid.”

 

“You’re alright, kid,” He laughed, and the announcements crackled something about a late bus leaving. The gathering students in the back began to pack up, as did Marvin. Jason peered as he carefully set each piece back into the box, admiring his skill even if he hadn’t had the college practice he had gotten in the future. It was almost peaceful for a moment, and Jason could ignore the memories of his papa slugging his dad in the face, (though they were just teenagers.) Until his dad, sorry, Whizzer, stormed through the door, face slack with worry. He visibly relaxed, though, when he saw Jason.

 

“There you are! I just spent like an hour outside looking for you!” He guffawed, hugging Jason close to his chest. Jason leaned into him almost unconsciously. Cordelia had been right. Whizzer did have a soft spot for children. Marvin raised an eyebrow, and slid the chess box back into it’s rightful cabinet.

 

“He’s yours? How is that even possible?” Marvin chuckled lowly, shutting it. Whizzer rolled his eyes, and pulled back from Jason. “He’s too smart to have your DNA.” 

 

“He’s not my son,” Whizzer gritted out through his teeth. “Well, he tells me that he is. My future son, that is.” Marvin shot both a scowl.

 

“I’m not stupid, as much as you might think I am, Mr. Brown,” Marvin snapped, swinging his backpack around his shoulders. Whizzer pointedly motioned for Jason to explain to Marvin, but the child kept his mouth shut. He needed to preserve what aura of mystery he had left. 

 

“You’re more stupid than I think you are, Marvin,” Whizzer sighed, scooping up Jason with a grunt. Somehow, he was just as strong in high school as he was in Jason’s time. Marvin gave Whizzer a strange look, but shook his head and didn’t push it. Without bidding goodbye, Whizzer marched stiffly out of the chess room, grip around Jason tightening. Jason threw his arms around Whizzer’s neck to latch onto it as though he were a koala, and waved cheerfully to Marvin. He awkwardly returned it.

 

“Do you like Marvin? Is that why you weren’t fighting him?” Jason questioned Whizzer as a kid might, poking at the black eye forming around Whizzer’s sepia colored irises. He batted the pudgy hand away, and made a grumpy noise.

 

“Sometimes,” Whizzer replied with, leading Jason outside. “We’ll talk about this later.” Jason understood the words, but Whizzer’s tone made it obvious that he wasn’t going to speak about his relationship with Marvin again, if he had anything to do with it. Jason frowned, and buried his head into Whizzer’s shoulder, allowing him to stroll back home with him. He’d bring it up some other time. This was not going to go unresolved. 

 

 ***** ***** *****

 

When they arrived back at Whizzer’s house, the teen plopped him down onto the couch and slung his backpack onto one of the dining room tables. 

 

“Where am I going to stay?” Jason questioned timidly, Whizzer’s stance still tense from the runin with Marvin. The older boy just sighed, grabbing a glass from out of one of the cabinets. 

 

“I don’t know, kid. Probably here. I’ll hide you in my room, because my parents  _ cannot  _ find out about you,” He smiled then, though he was staring at the cup in his hand. “My mom would never let you get back to your time, or parents, or anything.” Jason replicated his smile, thinking of his nana. She would visit at least once a week, even though the drive was long, and adored Jason to the extent of bringing him outrageous presents every time she visited. He could be labeled as spoiled, but it wasn’t as though Jason acted snobbish. 

 

“Okay,” Jason replied, the silence between them palpable. Whizzer seemed slightly scared of him. Jason had never had someone scared of him before. “Are you friends with Mendel?” Whizzer shot him a strange look, turning on the tap to spill some onto the glass.

 

“I mean, kind of. Not really, though,” Whizzer thought about the question for a moment. “He’s in my Photography class. He sucks at it.” He laughed, and took a swig from the glass. Twisting back to Jason, he seemed to be pondering what he should say.

 

“Am I a photographer? In your reality, I guess?” Whizzer rushed out, wincing slightly. Jason pursed his lips together.

 

“I feel like I’m not supposed to tell you that,” He responded, Whizzer nodding absentmindedly. He swished the water in his glass back and forth against the rounded sides. Jason watched as the waves came up again and again. Jason gritted his teeth together, worrying about what might happen if he spilled any of the information. 

 

“Uh..that’s too much information,” Jason added, and Whizzer let out a dramatic groan, chugging back the rest of the water.

 

“My arms hurt from carrying around at least 90 pounds of nine year old multiple times today. I’m going to either smash my head into the wall repeatedly, or do my homework,” Whizzer picked up his backpack, and slung it over his shoulder. Pointing one finger in Jason’s direction, he scowled at the nine year old menacingly. Or, he tried to be menacingly. Jason ignored the rest of Whizzer’s sentence because his brain was suddenly filled with his last conversation with his dad and papa. 

 

_ “Stay out of trouble, baby,” His dad pecked his forehead gently, hands cupping his face as they usually did. Jason tugged away from his grip, and his dad straightened back up. _

 

_ “I know you’re just going to your aunts’ house, but seriously, look both ways,” His papa told him sternly, Jason rolling his eyes as he tugged on his rainboots.  _

 

_ “Alright, alright! I’ve been over there before! I’m gonna be fine,” He grumbled, eyeing the bright yellow of his shoes. His dad smiled almost sadly down at him, clasping his hands together in such a Trina way Jason almost told him that he had spent too much time with his mother. _

 

_ “I know, but I worry,” His dad pulled him tight to his long legs, Jason’s head barely reaching his hips because of how short he was compared to his father. “I’m your dad. I’m supposed to.” Jason rolled his eyes, but allowed his dad to hold him close as his papa watched the two with a soft smile on his face. Kissing his husband’s cheek, he stroked Jason’s curls. _

 

_ “Go put your gloves on, and have fun,” His papa instructed, Jason grinning excitedly as he raced over to the glove drawer.  _

 

_ “Thanks papa!” Jason called out, his papa laughing at his happy tone as his dad leaned into his papa in a sort of side hug. Jason rushed out the door, and thus began the adventure. _

 

Jason came back to the present, Whizzer giving him a strange look. Jason raised an eyebrow in defense, and shaking his head, the older teenager disappeared down a hallway to start on his homework. After a moment, Jason flopped off of the couch and raced towards the front door, guessing Whizzer had music on, as Britney Spears was faintly playing in one of the back rooms. He had to find a library to look for books about what situation he was stuck in, or whatever Back to the Future was. This was the same town his nana still lived in, so at least he knew how to get to Main Street. Hopefully Whizzer wouldn’t look for him. Swinging open the front door much like he had done earlier that morning, he bounced onto to the step and just about plowed into two teenager girls. He glanced up to see that one was in fact Trina, another standing beside her, both in cheerleading uniforms. They both awwed at the sight of him, causing Jason to furrow his eyebrows. Why did he want to come outside again? 

 

“Are you Jizzer’s little brother?” The cheerleader who wasn’t Trina questioned, placing her hands on her knees as she leaned down to speak to him. He frowned at her, Trina elbowing her companion in the side.

 

“You don’t just say that, Maria,” She hissed out, Maria rolling her eyes at the head cheerleader. 

 

“No, I’m not Whizzer’s little brother,” Jason shook his head. The two cheerleaders stared at him for a moment, trying to discover what else he could be if he wasn’t Whizzer’s brother. Deciding that they didn’t care enough to question further, they went with that answer and hurried the conversation along. 

 

“Alright, well, can you get him? We’re asking around the neighborhood for money for our school dance,” Trina plastered on a smile, obviously fake. Jason was nine, and he could tell straightaway that she would enjoy nothing more than abandoning whatever she was supposed to be doing. 

 

“He’s doing his homework,” Jason told her matter-of-factly. “That’s why he stormed out of the living room. That’s why there’s Britney Spears playing in the house.” 

 

“He listens to Britney Spears?” Maria huffed out in a laugh, a smirk coming across her thin lips. “Of course he would listen to Britney Spears.” Trina grumbled something in the direction of her friend, Jason scowling to the defensive of his father.

 

“Everyone listens to Britney Spears,” Trina snapped, Maria growling under her breath a few curses about how Trina was sweet in front of children. “Anyway, when he’s done, could you ask him about donating for our dance?”

 

“I don’t think he will,” Jason told them apologetically. “He doesn’t really like school.” Maria snorted.

 

“Obviously, no one likes school,” She snarled at the nine year old, who grimaced up at her. “But everyone loves school dances.” Trina waved off her companion. 

 

“That’s fine,” Trina cooed, Jason resisting the urge to hold onto his mother tightly. “We’ll just keep asking. Have fun, bud.” She took Maria’s arm and tugged her away, the girls quickly arguing about whether or not they should have pestered the Brown household more. Jason tilted his head as they walked away, and then flopped from the front step into the grass, taking a deep breath into the sudden quiet around him. He didn’t have the heart to find the library now. He’d be fine. He just had to figure out a way through whatever this reality was.


	4. Channel Z

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mendel tutors Trina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT NOTES AT END! thank you !! :)  
> also this chapters sucks hahaha : )

Once Whizzer had fallen asleep that night - after he’d shoved Jason in his closet, made a joke about his sexuality, and given him leftovers from dinner quite awkwardly - Jason had begun to devise a plan. A school dance was the top trope in the romantic comedies his dad would force his papa to watch, he remembered, and then began to use that knowledge to his advantage. First step, Trina and Mendel. After all, they were the first ones who got together, according to memories of his family members explaining that to him. So the next day, he found Mendel sitting outside of his science class or whatever he was learning in there, and tugged on his sweatshirt sleeve. Instantly, the boy whipped his head up, glasses bouncing against his nose. Jason frowned at him.

 

“I didn’t know you had glasses,” He commented, Mendel practically leaping five feet in the air at the sight of the small child.

 

“Where’d you come from?” Mendel questioned quickly, scrambling with the papers overflowing in his lap. Jason shrugged, and plopped down beside him, the height difference noticeable.

 

“Do you excel at math?” Jason lifted an eyebrow, attempting to sound smarter with the more intelligent word. He knew the answer to this question, as his step-father was always helping him with his math homework, along with other school necessities.

 

“Uh, yeah. I don’t have it this year since I took algebra and geometry in eighth grade,” Mendel explained needlessly, Jason already knowing this from the overheard conversations between his family. He nodded like this was news, though, and began to let his plan take shape.

 

“Okay. Can you tutor Trina?” Jason asked him, a smile slipping onto his face at Mendel’s flushed expression. True, he hadn’t questioned Trina about getting a tutor, but he remembered how much she hated math in high school due to their discussion about school subjects with Jason at one point.   


“She wants me to tut-tutor her?” Mendel stuttered out of pure excitement, Jason shrugging loosely into his borrowed sweatshirt from Whizzer. It flopped over his arms as though it were his lab coat, and it didn’t smell like his dad. Whizzer smelled like desperation and angst. His dad smelled like flowers from their garden out back and fresh cookies to welcome him back home after school.

 

“She thinks you’re smart,” Jason was lying it on thick, he knew, but Mendel didn’t seem to mind. He was lost in his own world, daydreaming about tutoring his crush. Then, his face fell, and he turned to the kid with a slightly sad expression on his face. Jason frowned at that, the same sort of confused frown he had held when he first entered the conversation.

 

“She probably just wants to copy off of my answers,” Mendel moaned, sliding down the wall just slightly. Jason watched him do that, and then did the same, joining him in a slump on the floor.

 

“I don’t think she is,” Jason told him truthfully, remembering well his short-lived conversation with her the night before. “She’s pretty nice.” Mendel sighed dreamily then, and leaned forward on his elbows slightly.

 

“You’re right,” He mumbled, and then snapped himself out of the haze once more. Turning his head to Jason, he recollected his papers so that they weren’t strewn about on the hallway floor. “But how am I supposed to get to be her tutor? Walk up and ask?” Jason nodded sincerely.

 

“Girls love a guy who aren’t awkward losers,” He offered slowly. Mendel narrowed his eyes at the nine year old, fixing his position on the floor just slightly.

 

“How would you know that? You’re nine, dude,” He pointedly looked at Jason’s height, or rather, where it stopped. Jason smiled widely.

 

“That’s how I got my only friend. Heather Levin. I mean, she talks to me sometimes. I went up to her during class and asked her if she wanted to partner with me, and she did,” Jason explained, Mendel placing his hand to his heart in such a Whizzer-like way it scared the kid just slightly.

 

“Aw, second grade love,” He reminisced, then tilted his head back to his work. Jason’s eyes followed his gaze, looking over the doodles and writing that had clearly been very, very rushed.

 

“We’ll get back to this whole tutoring decision later today, but only if you come with. Now, get lost. I gotta finish my Bio notes,” He gestured to the unreadable scribbles on the paper. Jason nodded absentmindedly, and wandered down the hallway, ready to start the next phase of his plan - with Trina.

  


He found her outside at a lunch table with a gaggle of her friends, giggling as they read through English notes. The entire class was scattered about the field, Jason realizing they were having class outside that day. He sat down onto the plastic blue covering of the picnic bench, right next to Trina, and halted their conversation.

 

“If it isn’t Jizzer’s not-brother,” The girl from the day before, Maria, joked. The duo of girls rested next to her giggled good-naturedly into their pale hands. Jason grimaced in their direction.

 

“His name isn’t Jizzer. It’s Whizzer. His mom named him that after a commercial she saw in the waiting room of the hospital,” Jason told them matter-of-factly, pulling that little fact out of his memory.

 

“Why are you here, kid?” Maria huffed out at Jason’s rebuttal. Jason beamed, his missing teeth showing off.

 

“I was wondering if any of you needed a tutor? In uh… everything,” He worded carefully. Trina lifted up to hide a giggle behind her soft skin.

 

“Sweetheart, I know you're trying to help, but I don't think you understand senior studies,” She told him after a moment, grabbing onto his elbow loosely. He grinned at her.

 

“I'm not gonna be your tutor, silly! I'm just asking because Mendel was wondering about a paid-by-the-hour tutor situation,” He told her, emphasis on the name. To his delight, Trina’s cheeks pinked at the mention of the boy. The cheerleaders glanced between each other.

 

“Oh, well, I’d love-like it if he were to help me at Calculus,” Trina blushed, attempting to cover up her slight stutter. Jason smirked, understanding he’d caught her in his trap.

 

“Cool! I'll tell him that,” Jason smiled widely at her, Trina offering him a soft smile that was much too innocent to appear anywhere close to his mother’s. “Goodbye!” He gave a salute, the cheerleaders going back to whispering, though Trina was still bright red. He bounced off, excited this was going so well already.

  


“Are you sure she’ll come?” Mendel asked him nervously, fidgeting with his hands as he and Jason rested on a swing set close to the school.

 

“Yeah. She blushed really hard when I asked her,” He teased, the nine year old understanding social cues enough to get that Trina had a fairly obvious crush on Mendel. Mendel, in response, pinked. There was trudging behind them, and both boys turned on the swings to see Trina standing there awkwardly. She fiddled with the strap of her messenger bag, Mendel practically choking at the sight of her there.

 

“Um, you said you’d tutor me, right? Sorry if I’m interrupting something,” She apologized sincerely, Mendel practically shoving Jason off of the swingset in his haste to get Trina to sit down.

 

“No, it’s fine!” He squeaked out, Jason grumbling as he stood from the swing, and gestured for Trina to replace him. She thanked him, and sat herself daintily on the swing. Retrieving her textbook from her bag, she cracked it open and began to point to different things on the page.

 

“So, for, uh, I don’t really get any of this,” She laughed awkwardly, Mendel making the noise of an uncomfortable hyena. Jason ducked behind the playground set to watch how the scene would play out.

 

“That’s cool. You know, they don’t use math in cheerleading,” Mendel reassured, Trina letting out a slight giggle. He flushed. “Or, maybe they do. I’m not a cheerleader.”

 

“I know you aren’t, Mendel,” She laughed, though it wasn’t _at_ him. “But no, they don’t usually use math in cheerleading. But I want to become a English teacher, not a cheerleader.”

 

“Well, since you’ll be teaching English, you don’t really have to work with math,” Mendel gave her a small, nervous grin. Trina raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

 

“This is a class I have to ace to make sure I graduate,” She smiled still, Mendel obviously resisting the urge to knock himself out.

 

“Oh yeah,” He agreed, voice about an octave higher than was it usually was. Jason covered his mouth with his hand. “I knew that. Yes.”

 

“If you don’t want to tutor me in math, that’s cool. I do need help in French,” Trina told him truthfully, placing the textbook back in her bag. “I don’t even know why I took it-”

 

“Uh, do you want to get coffee sometime?” Mendel blurted out. Trina stopped, and looked at him. Her expression gave away nothing, and Mendel chewed nervously on his bottom lip.

 

“I mean, that was a stupid thing to ask, wasn’t it?” He chuckled. Trina patted his shoulder, a wide smile spreading across her lips.

 

“It’s fine. I’d like that,” She told him, turning back to find her French notes. Mendel looked practically sunburned.

 

Jason made sure to give them space, Trina’s soft voice filtering out of his hearing. Mendel didn’t really seem to be paying attention to anything she was saying. Jason resisted the urge to pump a fist in the air. Instead, he ran into Whizzer, who lumbered over him menacingly.

 

“What have you been doing all day? You know you can’t run around the school like that,” He scolded. Jason rolled his eyes at the older boy.

 

“Look what I did! I set them up!” He jabbed a finger in the direction of the blushing teens. “I’m smarter than you think, you know.” Whizzer snorted, face slacking once he looked over at the duo.

 

“You sound like Marvin,” He murmured distractedly, then tilted his head back down to Jason in veiled wonder. “How’d you manage to get them together finally? Jesus, you did me a favor.” Jason furrowed his eyebrows.

 

“What?” He asked, Whizzer snickering as he folded his arms across his chest, watching Trina lean in to whisper something to Mendel.

 

“Mendel isn’t gonna drone on about her in photography class anymore,” He cheered, then turned back to Jason.” Come on, kid, gotta get you back to my house.” Jason shook his head.

 

“No, I’ve got another thing I have to do,” Jason told him sternly. “There’s only a few days until the dance.” He spun on his heel to leave so that he could begin the next phase of his plan, before twisting back with a mischievous smile on his face.

 

“By the way, are you taking anyone?” He questioned, Whizzer giving him a strange look.

 

“No, why would i? I hate dances,” He snorted, though his tone gave him away. “How’d you learn about the dance anyway?” Jason tapped his lips, the smile still evident, and then sped away from the teenager before he could catch the fast nine-year-old. Whizzer watched him race off into the distance, a fatherly instinct pressing against his chest to grab him before the kid could endanger himself. Shrugging it off, he waved at Mendel, and strolled away, taking pleasure in the fact that the two blushed deeply once they realized someone had been watching them.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i've decided i'm gonna do something special for halloween, because i did something like this for christmas two years ago when i was knee-deep in my emo phase . i'm gonna write some spoooooky stories this month in an effort to celebrate halloween , but that also means that this fic will be put to the back of my mind so updates won't be as frequent ! or maybe they will. idk. anyway, look out for them . bye ! - anna :))


	5. Gloria

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cordelia, Jason, and Whizzer bake cookies to give to Charlotte.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this took me so long because i'm writing another thing for "spooky stories to tell in the dark" also have some lesbians love you - anna :)

Jason stumbled around the school, following the sound of clattering pans. Due to the fact that the high school was practically empty, it wasn’t hard to drown out the rest of the sounds. At one point, Whizzer had begun to follow him. It seemed as though the boy was attempting to hide himself from view, even if Jason could sense him quite obviously. He was a lumbering giant. It wasn’t hard to notice him.

 

At one point, he passed by the kitchen, or what he guessed was the kitchen, and then realized that his target had been standing inside. Backing up, he peeked through the doorway to see Cordelia bouncing around, tapping a wooden spoon on the counter as she absolutely butchered “Gloria.” Jason grinned, and sped through the doorway, his clattering shoes causing her to shriek in surprise. He noticed that was a trend with these teenagers. 

 

“Kid! What are you doing in the high school?” She yelped, Whizzer emerging from the doorway confusedly, until he noticed Cordelia. “Whiz, what’s with this? I thought you told me you have figured out where to put him.” The last part, she had hissed pointedly, causing Jason to giggle slightly.

 

“He locked me in his closet,” He told her, Cordelia gasping and lifting a hand to grasp at the base of her neck, as if she was reaching for a necklace that was non-existent. Whizzer waved his hands around in protest.

 

“I didn’t lock him in there!” He defended himself weakly. “Besides, I didn’t want you to worry about him. You seemed really weirded out the day we met him.” Cordelia blinked.

 

“Yeah, I did,” She moved her lips slowly, as though Whizzer were a toddler and she was attempting to explain why the sky was blue. “Because he told me he was your  _ future child  _ and that I was his  _ aunt.  _ Wouldn’t you be weirded out if my so-called future kid came up to you and told you that you were related to him in some way?” 

 

“You don’t actually have a child,” Jason informed her, Cordelia waving him off. Whizzer stepped closer to his best friend, putting on his best puppy dog eyes. Jason suddenly understood where he had learned the art of persuasion. 

 

“Delia, I’m sorry,” He apologized, nudging his toe into the ground. “It was an honest mistake. I’m just a silly seventeen year old boy, what do I know?” Cordelia’s eyes widened, and she reached over to whap him on the back of the head.

 

“You know better than to throw a nine year old child into a closet when you don’t feel like dealing with him,” She replied snootily, Whizzer pouting.

 

“When you say it like that, it sounds like a bad idea,” He whimpered, Cordelia shaking her head at her best friend. Jason coughed pointedly, and the duo turned back to him. 

 

“Anyway, I was hoping you wanted to make cookies with me,” Jason suggested, Cordelia raising an eyebrow in slight confusion. Jason shuffled his feet.

 

“Well, you like baking, and I thought we could give them to Charlotte and her gang. To make her less of a jerk,” Jason elaborated, not revealing the true intentions behind his plan. Cordelia nodded, pinking slightly.

 

“She’s my Chemistry lab partner,” Cordelia mumbled, Whizzer’s eyebrows going up so high they practically disappeared underneath his hair.

 

_ “I’m not expecting you to do anything, just so you know,” Cordelia reassured Charlotte, who was staring at the material intensely. “Please don’t beat me up in a back alley.” _

 

_ “I don’t beat up pretty girls,” Charlotte blurted, then ducked her head bashfully. Cordelia gaped openly at the girl beside her, who was growing increasingly shrunken. “I mean, I’ll do some work. It’s cool.”  _

 

_ “Wow, okay, I wasn’t expecting either of those statements,” Cordelia laughed humorlessly, blinking rapidly. Charlotte folded her arms protectively around her waist. _

 

_ “What, I like science! You gotta problem with that?” She attempted to threaten, but the fact that she had just called Cordelia pretty softened the blow. Cordelia picked up her pencil, and began to fidget around with it, refusing to look into the other girl’s eyes. _

 

_ “No, it’s alright,” Cordelia told her. “I mean, I want to be a Vegas dancer.” At the last sentence, she audibly lowered her voice, Charlotte narrowing her eyes in slight confusion. _

 

_ “What’d you say?” Charlotte leaned in closer to her mouth, Cordelia letting out a loud sigh at the fact that she would be forced to repeat herself. _

 

_ “I said, I want to be a Vegas dancer,” Cordelia confessed, a bit louder this time. Charlotte made a face similar to when you’re about to sneeze.  _

 

_ “Why?” Charlotte asked blatantly, Cordelia’s cheeks turning red.. She gestured to the paper in front of them, clearing her throat. _

 

_ “Let’s just focus on the task right now-” She had reached to grab a flask, when Charlotte’s hand shot out from underneath the desk to grab her wrist. Cordelia looked up at her in surprise, both at the fact that the girl had reacted so quickly, and that her hand was so soft. _

 

_ “I want to become a scientist when I grow up,” Charlotte rushed out. “I’ve got a scholarship to Brown and I’m gonna study so that I can work in Medicines. It’s weird, and I haven’t told anyone about that besides my family.” Cordelia flexed her wrist pointedly, and Charlotte loosened her grip noticeably.  _

 

_ “You’ve got a scholarship to Brown?” Cordelia asked in disbelief, Charlotte rolling up her top lip in noticeable offence. _

 

_ “What, you don’t think I’m smart enough to get into a college like that?” Charlotte snapped, her temper flaring up once again. Cordelia removed her wrist from her grip gently, shaking it out.  _

 

_ “No, I just…” She faded off, taking in Charlotte’s ripped jeans and thick leather jacket. “I didn’t expect that from you.” Charlotte huffed out a chuckle, shaking her head. _

 

_ “No one ever does,” She snorted. “This is a costume, you know that, right? I’m not actually some sort of greaser girl who comes from the bad side of town. I live in Greentree. That’s pretty fucking suburban.”  _

 

_ “Yeah, but you can’t criticize me for assuming things about you for your looks,” Cordelia grumbled to her lab partner. “You got so surprised when I told you I wanted to become a Vegas dancer.” Charlotte shrugged. _

 

_ “Touché,” She replied with a grin on her face. It slipped off then, into something softer. “But ah, I think you’d have better luck going into something with baking.” Cordelia raised one eyebrow playfully. _

 

_ “You think I’m good at baking?” She questioned, Charlotte nudging their shoulders together, a small smirk on her lips. _

 

_ “Damn right, babydoll,” She teased. Though the pet name was a joke, it still made Cordelia’s entire face go magenta. The teacher decided to stroll around their table then, and tapped the desk with a ruler, a signal for them to focus. As he walked away, the two girls looked at each other, and didn’t talk about anything personal for the rest of the period.  _

 

“I’m sorry that you got stuck with such a tight-ass, Delia,” Whizzer apologized sincerely, Cordelia still slightly lost in thought of the memories. Jason wondered what being lab partners meant. She shook herself back to the presence then, and ignored Whizzer completely. 

 

“I’ve got some extra dough, anyway. What should we make, sugar cookies?” She suggested, picking Jason up with her flour covered hands to lift him onto the counter. Whizzer wrinkled his nose.

 

“Ew, sugar cookies,” He grumbled. “Everyone likes chocolate. What about chocolate chip cookies?” Jason smiled at his dad. Aunt Cee-Cee’s favorite baked good from Aunt Delia’s kitchen were chocolate chip cookies. Cordelia lifted her eyebrows contemplatively.

 

“Well, they are my speciality,” She reasoned, nodding. She reached for a clean bowl, and set it onto the only counter space that wasn’t taken up by spilled ingredients or Jason. “Just warning you, I’m a little messy in the kitchen.” Whizzer furrowed his eyebrows.

 

“I know that already,” He told her. “I’ve cooked with you before.” Cordelia rolled her eyes in the way only a best friend could.

 

“I was telling that to the kid, dumbass,” She snarked, Whizzer scowling at back while she leaned over to fish for chocolate chips in the fridge beside the cooking area.

 

“Why are you allowed to use the school kitchen?” Jason pondered as she got to setting out the ingredients. Cordelia glanced over at him, and then shrugged.

 

“My mother is head of the PTA,” She informed him, Whizzer grinning toothily at Jason, as though he had forgotten he was more of his future child and less of a buddy he regularly hung out with. 

 

“Meaning, me and Delia get special treatment,” He tittered, voice going higher as he spoke. Jason was reminded painfully of how his dad would sing in the same fashion when Jason wanted to sing with him. 

 

“Anyway, do you want to come over here and help me put together the mix?” She changed the subject abruptly, hinting that her mother was a sore subject to her. Though Jason was a rather smart nine year old, he currently could care less. He pursed his lips, and Cordelia motioned with her head to the bowl in front of her. “You’ll get to crack the eggs, I promise.” Jason smiled excitedly, the idea of smashing anything hard enough until it broke causing his eyes to light up.

 

“Alright,” He agreed, and hopped down from the counter. She placed a warm hand on his back, and he could forget for a moment that this was not his actually Aunt Delia. 

 

The trio approached Charlotte’s gang after cleaning up the kitchen, Jason unknowingly trotting along with a large flour stain on his sweatshirt. Whizzer winced at that, since the clothing item belonged to him. Cordelia was leading them, Jason beside her. Whizzer was trudging begrudgingly behind the two, grumbling all the way. Cordelia forced on a smile, as she cleared her throat.

 

“Uh, Charlotte?” Her voice was wispy, nervousness flooding through. The girl turned, and Cordelia took a step back worriedly. Though she understood the girl was more than the leather jacket, that didn’t mean that seeing her with her entire group wasn’t the least bit terrifying. 

 

Charlotte watched them, a blank expression on her face. Behind her, Charlotte's gang shuffled to get ready to scare the blond away. There was a pause, Cordelia's hands clutching the plate beginning to shake noticeably, and then Charlotte gave her a warm smile.

 

"Thanks, Dee. You're the sweetest," Charlotte told her with upturned lips. Cordelia grinned happily in return, shoulders relaxing. Charlotte took one of the cookies and bit into it, face glowing noticeably. She chewed for about five seconds, before swallowing.

 

"Those are amazing!" Charlotte complemented, then leaned into Cordelia. Close enough so that the next thing she spoke could not be heard by anyone around them. "If you don't become a dancer, you sure as  _ hell _ should become a cook, or caterer or something." Cordelia pinked noticeably. 

 

“Come on, guys, want a cookie?” Charlotte took the plate from Cordelia’s hands, offering it to her gang. They all gave each other looks, questioning the strange gift of food. Whizzer looked so positively grumpy that Jason had to hold back from laughing at his face. After a moment, one of the boys in front took a chocolate chip cookie, and bit into it. Smiling, he nodded to his friends. One by one, each gang member took their own cookie, until there was none left. Handing the plate over to Cordelia, Charlotte winked.

 

“Thanks, darling,” She smirked, remembering Cordelia’s reaction to the pet names in the days prior. Cordelia’s ears pinked then, going along with the rest of her features. Jason contemplated whether or not she was running a fever. “We’re still meeting at the library tomorrow for our lab report, right?”

 

“You’re actually taking time into school assignments, Charlotte?” The boy from before snickered. Jason saw Whizzer checking him out, and then calculating whether or not he was hot. His face scrunched up, and Jason could tell by the fact that his dad did this to the men he regularly saw the street that he did not think he was attractive in the slightest. 

 

“Fuck off, Feldman,” She gave him the middle finger, face turning dangerous. The gang members instantly quieted, and she tilted her head back to the other girl, a wide smile hanging off her lips.

 

“Sure!” Cordelia’s shoulders bounced as she agreed, spiriting only dampened slightly by the sudden personality change of Charlotte. After a few minutes of Charlotte unabashedly flirting and Cordelia blushing, Jason tugged on Cordelia's sleeve. As the three left, Cordelia practically skipping and her hands freed of any cookies, Jason called this a win.

 


	6. Tom's Diner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason figures out why Whizzer and Marvin are so weird towards each other, and Whizzer starts crying on a public sidewalk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one more chapter left until the dance!!

Though the pairings of two out of three of the couples in his family seemed to go over well enough, Jason was troubled by the intensity of Whizzer and Marvin’s hatred for one another. He contemplated this as he waited for Whizzer to stroll him back to his house once more, the duo already arguing about what sounded like dance decorations. 

 

“Blue streamers will clash with the purple tablecloth, you absolute dolt!” Whizzer screeched, appearing on the verge of hysterics. Marvin curled his fists at his side noticeably. 

 

“They’re not even that blue! Besides, I’m not the one who suggested having  _ yellow  _ chips at the snack table,” He accused, Whizzer scoffing.

 

“Everyone likes potato chips!” Whizzer threw his hands into the air, Marvin sneering as he always did. “You’re a dick, you know that?” 

 

“The theme is under the sea. Under. The. Sea. There’s no purple under the sea!” Marvin shrieked, their voices fading off into muffled shouts as they reentered the school, most likely to fight out of eyesight of a teacher. Jason huffed, and raced after them, attempting to find Whizzer to remind him of Jason’s existence. He shoved his shoulder against the door, lodging it open, and then padded slowly down the empty hallway. It seemed slightly creepy now, due to the fact that no one was there besides a few leftover teachers - and Marvin and Whizzer. His shoe sounds bounced off of the walls, Jason wringing his hands in front of him as he continued.    
  


At one point, he heard low murmurs that sounded distantly like something he might hear through the door of his parent’s bedroom late at night. Eyeing the sign above the door, he realized it was the boy’s locker room. Peeking in, he let out a small shriek, seeing the sight unfold before him. Whizzer was shoved up against the lockers, his hand running through Marvin’s hair as they  _ lip-locked.  _

 

“Gross!” Jason gasped out, the two boys pulling away in a fluster. Whizzer’s cheeks were pinked, Marvin’s one arm wrapped tightly around his waist. The other had been gripping his thigh. 

 

“Matthew,” Whizzer panted out, dropping down from the lockers. “It’s not what it looks like.” Jason wrinkled his nose.

 

“My dad and papa kiss like that sometimes, but then my mom yells at them,” Jason told them. “Kissing’s yucky.” Marvin allowed Whizzer to wrestle from his grip, both messed up from the make out session. Jason watched as the younger version of his dad stumbled over to him, and leaned down on one knee.

 

“You aren’t gonna tell Cordelia, right?” Whizzer asked him sternly. Jason was suddenly reminded of when his dad would tell him off for crashing into certain things. His dad would meet his eye level and speak to him as though they were the same age. Once, though, Jason knocked something over that he later learned was called an “urn,” and his dad had a breakdown. 

 

“No,” Jason told him, shaking his head. That was the way he’d apologize to his dad whenever he messed something up.  _ I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.  _ And then the next day his papa would be chasing him around the house and Jason would knock a picture frame over. At one point, his dad and papa argued about that, but it’s not like how Whizzer and Marvin argued now. He was extremely confused by the two different sets of people he kept seeing in his mind.

 

“Alright,” Whizzer stood back up. “We’re gonna go, Jason.” Jason took his hand, Marvin reaching out a hand to get Whizzer’s attention.

 

“Whiz,” He trailed off at Whizzer’s expression. “Will you call me?” Whizzer smiled softly, and shrugged indifferently. 

 

“I always do,” Whizzer replied with, and led Jason from the boy’s locker room. At that moment, Jason realized that the Britney Spears Whizzer had been blasting was to cover up his conversation on the phone with Marvin. As they walked down the hallway, an uneasiness shifted over them. 

 

“Why’d you kiss him, if you hate him so much?” Jason raised an eyebrow up at his elder, who sighed uncomfortably. Their connected hands slung in between them, and Jason was reminded of the fact that his dad always led him by the hand whenever they were walking across a road, or through a parking lot. His papa would chuckle at the fact that his dad was so paranoid of a car accident involving Jason. He missed his parents. 

 

“I don’t hate him,” Whizzer admitted, before scrunching up his face. “Well, not exactly. It’s very complicated, and frankly, I don’t want to have to explain it to a nine year old.” Jason bounced up, not even coming close to reaching Whizzer’s height. They entered into the sun of the boulevard which the school sat upon.

 

“I can understand it,” Jason told him matter-of-factly. “I’m a smart nine year old. My papa started teaching me chess when I was six, and I almost skipped second grade, but then my dad got worried about how many friends I would make.” 

 

“Yes, you’re quite intelligent,” Whizzer breathed through his nose a little reluctantly. “Well, I don’t really know for sure. He’s a terrible person, you know that?”

 

“No, I don’t,” Jason answered truthfully. “He’s a good person. He’s only rude to you so he can impress you. That’s what Tyler does to Heather Levin.” Jason smiled up at him. Whizzer didn’t smile back. He seemed lost in thought, and then he dropped down beside Jason, who looked at him strangely. They were still on the sidewalk, across from the school. Whizzer’s hands landed on his shoulders and he forced their eyes to meet.

 

“You like him,” Jason gasped out excitedly. “You’ve got a crush on him. That’s why you’re rude to him! God, boys never do express their feelings that well.” Whizzer gaped in shock at how blatantly Jason had put his feelings towards Marvin, the child presenting innocent unknowing towards his expression. 

 

“Jason, you have no idea what you’re talking about,” Whizzer told him solemnly, though a flush began to spread across his face. Jason understood he had struck a nerve. 

 

“You do! You do like him!” Jason’s small smile grew into a wide, Cheshire-like grin. “I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!”

 

“Ssh!” Whizzer hissed, and slapped a hand over Jason’s lips quickly, in order to keep the younger quiet. Jason licked his hand, and Whizzer made a dramatic noise of disgust as he moved his hand back to wipe it onto his jeans. 

 

“Don’t lie,” Jason pouted, folding his arms across his chest. “I can tell when you’re lying.” Whizzer watched him in absolute amazement for a moment, before letting out an exasperated groan.

 

“Fine, okay?” Whizzer growled out, cheeks visibly heating up. “I… do like him.” At this confession, his face contorted into something along the lines of fear. 

 

“Oh my god, I’m in love with him!” Whizzer practically screeched, Jason not mentioning that he should probably be quieter. “I’m in love with my enemy! I’ve never been in love before!” Jason shushed him then, Whizzer instantly snapping his mouth shut.

 

“Okay, calm, wait a second,” Jason reached out and rested his sweaty palms onto Whizzer’s shoulders, as the teenager’s hands had fallen from his in his state of panic. “Breathe.” Whizzer took in a deep gulp of air, and then burst into sudden tears. Jason suddenly felt as though he were the parent, and Whizzer was the nine year old. 

 

“I’m so scared, Matthew,” Whizzer lamented, resting his head into the admittedly small crook of Jason’s neck. The nine year old just stood there, rigid, and then reached up a hand to awkwardly pat his dad on the back in a sense of comfort. 

 

“Why are you scared?” Jason frowned, cradling Whizzer’s head in his arms. “Isn’t love like… a happy time?” Whizzer grumbled something into his shirt, and Jason tugged him back to see Whizzer’s tearstained face.

“Love is awful,” Whizzer told him truthfully. “It hurts like hell and it stinks. It just really...sucks.” He shut his eyes tightly, and dropped his head into his hands. Jason let go of him, and stepped back as Whizzer folded in on himself while they sat on the sidewalk. 

 

“You’re really different from how my dad is in the future,” Jason commented, Whizzer ignoring him in order to wallow in his self-pity.

 

“I don’t want to fall in love,” Whizzer continued, wiping at his eyes. “Especially with someone like Marvin. Definitely not someone like Marvin.” Jason scowled down at the pathetic mess the younger version  of his father currently was. 

 

“Why not? Marvin’s a cool guy,” Jason argued. “He’s nice enough, and he plays chess.” He didn’t say anything about his appearance, because he was a nine year old, and this was his papa they were speaking about. 

 

“I know!” Whizzer yelped. “But he doesn’t love me back. And I’m scared of commitment. There’s a lot of other factors besides just me being in love with him.” Whizzer hung his head bashfully, and Jason whapped it. Whizzer leapt up, eyes stricken with panic as he snapped a hand towards the center of his forehead. 

 

“What was that for?” Whizzer asked, anger flooding through his words. Jason put his hands on his hips, and straightened his back. Due to the fact that Whizzer was sitting, and Jason was standing, he was pleasantly taller than him. 

 

“You’re being an idiot,” Jason informed him. “Of course Marvin loves you back! He’s just as pathetic as you are!” Whizzer furrowed his eyebrows in offence as Jason belittled him. 

 

“I’m not pathetic,” Whizzer defended himself, though it was rather weak. “You don’t know anything about love. You’re a nine year old!”

 

“That’s right, I am a nine year old,” Jason crunched his fists together as Whizzer began to stand, towering over him once more. “But I’m your son. Sort of. And I understand that Marvin loves you back!” Whizzer narrowed his eyes, before gasping loudly.

 

“Oh my god, Marvin is your dad,” Whizzer realized slowly, slapping a hand to the side of his face. Jason instantly regretted everything about this conversation. “I’m married to Marvin in the future.” 

 

“I wasn’t supposed to tell you that!” Jason squeaked out, Whizzer barely listening to him. He stumbled along on the sidewalk, staring off into space.

 

“You’re trying to get all of your family together before time runs out,” Whizzer spoke out his revelation, whirling on Jason. “That’s why you set up Mendel and Trina! And Charlotte and Cordelia! God, I’m so stupid!”

 

“This is definitely going to mess something up,” Jason mourned the loss of his mysterious identify, Whizzer watching him in amazement. 

 

“Are you sure that Marvin loves me back now, though? What if we fall in love later rather than sooner?” Whizzer murmured to himself, then looked panic stricken. “What if getting together with him right now will mess up our future?” Jason grabbed his hand tightly, and squeezed it.

 

“Trust me, I know what I’m doing,” Jason spoke seriously, though he had no clue what he was going to do about this new revealing of information about his reasons for being here. Whizzer took a deep breath, and let it out in thankfulness. 

 

“I don’t know if I can trust a nine year old, but since you’re my son, I’m guessing you're smart enough,” Whizzer allowed, and then motioned for Jason to come close to him. Jason gave him a look of confusion, but obeyed. Instantly, Whizzer had his arms wrapped around him, hugging him tightly to his chest. 

 

_ Jason tumbled off of the climbing set, letting out a shrill screech as he landed roughly on the bits of tire. A mother, one who was taking care of a little boy on a slide, instantly noticed him fall and ran up to him. He sat up, eyeing his wounds with quivering hands.  _

 

_ “Where’s your mommy?” The woman questioned kindly, reaching to place a hand on his shoulder. There were footsteps, and both Jason and the woman gazed up to see Whizzer standing there, smiling down at his son. _

 

_ “Jason, what happened?” He exclaimed, reaching down and scooping the then six-year-old boy up. He giggled, momentarily forgetting his cuts as Whizzer bounced him around, a wide grin on his face.  _

_ “I fell,” Jason presented his hands and knees to his dad, who smiled proudly, holding him to close to his chest.  _

 

_ “Those are some impressive cuts, champ,” Whizzer complimented, Jason beaming. He hadn’t previously understood that when you fell, the cuts you got were cool, but he knew that whatever his dad said was automatically right.  _

 

_ “I’m sorry for intruding, the parenting instincts just kicked in,” The woman apologized, Whizzer waving her off with one of his signature grins.  _

 

_ “It’s fine! I would have done the same for your little tike,” He nodded towards the small boy she was clutching to her leg, who buried himself deeper into her pants out of standard toddler shyness. _

 

_ “Are you here alone?” The mother asked him slyly, Jason shaking his head. Her cheeks were flushed, and Whizzer seemed to notice as well as his son did.  _

 

_ “My papa’s over there,” Jason gestured to a park bench, where Marvin was sat, doodling something onto a piece of paper, every once in a while glancing over at his husband and son. The woman nodded, a little disheartened looking, but accepting nonetheless.  _

 

_ “Well, I hope you three have a wonderful day,” She bid goodbye, lifting up her son with some difficulty to wander back over to the slides. Whizzer glanced down at Jason, who was once again now whimpering at the sight of his cuts. _

 

_ “Let’s get you cleaned up, buddy, and then you can take a peek at what your papa has been drawing,” Whizzer promised, Jason’s face instantly lighting up. Marvin was a college professor, teaching classes regarding art. Whenever he got the chance, he would sketch pictures of his family. Whizzer led them back over to the park bench, Jason wrapped up in his arms still, and poked Marvin on the shoulder. He glanced up, glasses on the end of his nose bouncing slightly.  _

 

_ “I’m gonna go take Jason to the bathroom to clean off his cuts,” Whizzer told him, Marvin smiling up at his husband as he usually would. _

 

_ “Alright, sweetheart, just don’t forget me here,” He joked, Whizzer rolling his eyes playfully. The two shared a chaste kiss, Jason wrinkling his nose at the sign of affection. _

 

_ “Ew, cooties,” He grimaced, the two men laughing at their son. Holding him tightly to his chest, Whizzer marched them over to the bathroom, singing some sort of unfamiliar melody into Jason’s ear in order to keep him calmed down.  _

 

Jason buried his face into Whizzer’s sweaty Star Wars t-shirt, which was so different from what he’d usually wear if they were back into the future, and began to cry. Whizzer clutched him tightly, so different, and yet so alike to how his dad would, that Jason desperately pleaded for his time in this universe to be over. For both he, and the rest of his family’s sanity. 

  
  



	7. People Are People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone prepares for the dance, Whizzer slaps Marvin, and Cordelia is noticeably taller than her dance date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah okay so the last spooky story is coming out Tuesday, and then the next chapter for this is on Thursday since I'll be going back to my normal schedule

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Mendel wrung his hands, the nine year old in front of him nodding his head wildly.

 

“She’s gonna say yes,” Jason told him assuredly, as the two strolled up to Trina. She was giggling at something one of the other cheerleaders had joked about, the blond talking to her gesturing to a dog across the street. Jason tapped Trina on the shoulder, and she smiled down at him sweetly.

 

“Hello, Matt! It’s been a few days since I’ve seen you around here,” Trina greeted warmly. “Here to ask me about tutoring again?” Jason shook his head.

 

“I’m not here to ask you anything,” He told her, before jabbing a thumb back in the direction of Mendel, who pinked at the sudden attention he was getting from his tutor partner. “But he is.” Stepping aside, Jason pushed Mendel to stumble forwards and take Trina’s hand, albeit uncomfortably.

 

“Uh, Trina,” Mendel swallowed quite roughly, the girl shifting so that she was fully facing him. “I think you’re swell.” The cheerleaders on the other side of the table began to giggle behind their hands, Trina blinking in slight surprise.

 

“Thank you?” She told him, though it came out in a question. His face was beet red, and Jason suspected he might have an asthma attack if he didn’t get this over with soon.

 

“I know we haven’t known each other for very long,” He continued. “But I uh...crave your wrist.” Trina blushed noticeably, Jason slapping a hand to his forehead behind his bumbling teenage friend.

 

“Oh my god,” He mumbled into his hands, before freezing. If his mother had actually been there, she would have scolded him for using the Lord’s name in vain. He scolded himself for it.

 

“There’s not a guy in pants. There’s not a . . . zebra, or a horse, that wants to go to the dance with you more than me,” Mendel elaborated, Trina watching while furrowing her eyebrows in kind confusion. “Sometimes, people who go to dances together are crazy people. Sometimes they uh, kill each other.” Trina looked mildly horrified. A few other students had begun to glance over, including Whizzer, Cordelia, and Marvin, all watching vapidly.

 

“Like a biblical brother would do to another biblical brother,” Mendel rushed out, cringing slightly at the way this was going. Trina nodded slowly, clenching their hands together still. “In biblical times.”

 

“Biblical times?” Trina raised an eyebrow, questioning what he had just said. Mendel flushed a dark red, Marvin cupping his hands around his mouth.

 

“Biblical times, nice going,” He called out, his nerdy friends bursting out into snorts. Whizzer shot him a glare with narrowed eyes, Marvin just winking and mouthing “biblical times” towards him. He rolled his eyes, though there was a hint of red still tinged on his cheeks.

 

“Yes, biblical times,” Mendel agreed with himself. “Uh, Trina Macintosh, will you go to the Under the Sea dance with me?” He gritted his teeth together awkwardly, as the silence flooded through. Trina glanced back at the gangs of students around her, pursing her lips together. After a moment, she turned back to Mendel, and smiled softly.

 

“Yes,” She smiled, and kissed his cheek swiftly. A chorus of gasps rang through her fellow cheerleaders, Whizzer falling off the bench he had been eating his lunch on in surprise. Jason cheered excitedly, and then was forced to pull Mendel away, as he was completely stunned.

 

***** ***** *****

 

Whizzer met up with Marvin outside of the school, towards the back of the tool shed. They bid their hellos, and then Whizzer wrapped a hand around the back of Marvin’s neck to pull him closer. Somehow, it felt different. More disappointing. When their lips broke apart, Whizzer’s already plump and slick with spit, he realized what it was.

 

“Are you going to the dance with anyone?” He questioned quickly, Marvin blinking out of his lustful daze almost instantly.

 

“Wasn’t planning on going at all,” Marvin told him truthfully, Whizzer frowning at him. He shifted so that he wasn’t so uncomfortable against the wood of the tool shed.

 

“But we’re part of the party planning committee,” Whizzer blinked in surprise. “It’s like... law that we have to go.” Marvin let him fall back, removing his arms swiftly as he shuffled his feet awkwardly.

 

“I don’t like dances,” He replied, shrugging nonchalantly. “We could go see a movie together, or something. Since no one from school will be there. ‘Cause they’ll be at the dance.” Whizzer pouted, and folded his arms.

 

“But I like dances,” Whizzer argued. “They’re cheesy, and that’s good enough for me. Of course you wouldn’t like them.” Marvin furrowed his eyebrows at his boyfriend, who was staring down at him annoyedly.

 

“I’m asking you out on a date,” Marvin told him. “Isn’t that what you wanted? To have a real relationship?” Whizzer watched him in shock.

 

“You’re just doing this to win my favor,” He accused. “So I’ll sleep with you instead of dragging you to the next film showing of The Notebook.” Marvin frowned at him.

 

“I thought that was obvious,” Marvin pursed his lips. “That’s the only reason people go on dates.” Whizzer blinked once, then twice.

 

“You’re fucking insane,” Whizzer sighed. “People go on dates because they’re fun. Not to get their significant other to put out.” Marvin eyed him for a moment, then gave a relenting groan.

 

“Fine,” He grumbled. “We’ll go to dinner, and a movie, and I won’t try to give you a blowjob before I have to drop you off at the end of the block.” Instantly, Whizzer grinned, and twisted his arms around Marvin’s neck.

 

“Thank you, baby,” He cooed, and pressed a kiss to Marvin’s cheek. The other boy attempted to appear annoyed with his boyfriend, instead just looking lovesick at Whizzer while they snuggled up behind the toolshed.

 

***** ***** *****

 

Cordelia checked the dress in the dressing room mirror, Whizzer lounging on the other side. Jason sat beside him, both boys watching her. Jason felt bad for watching his aunt change. Whizzer was too gay to care.

 

“Does this one look good? Since I’m going stag I should dress to impress,” She gestured to the dress she was wearing then, a flowery sort of jumpsuit.

 

“Honey, you’ll good in any dress you pick,” Whizzer told her truthfully, Cordelia resting a hand on her hip as she jutted it out towards the mirror.

 

“Are you going to the dance, Whiz?” Cordelia asked. “We could go together, as like, friends.” Whizzer flushed noticeably, and Jason narrowed his eyes at his dad.

 

“Nah, I’ve got a family dinner,” Whizzer blantly lied, Cordelia too distracted by her outfit picking. “Sweetie, don’t take that one. Too many colors.” He switched the subject so quickly that Jason knew he was hiding something. He shifted, and suddenly there was a bruise visible on his neck. Jason made a mental note to ask him about how he had gotten that later.

 

“Stop trying to be a stereotypical gay. You wear nerd shirts,” She rolled her eyes, and tugged on one of the white sweaters lying beside her. Jason nodded in agreement as Whizzer glanced over towards him for support, the other letting out a grumble about both of them.

 

“Don’t call them nerd shirts,” Whizzer wrinkled his nose in her direction. “Star Wars is a phenomenon everyone likes.” Jason nodded, slinking down so that he matched his dad’s posture. They were both slumped against the wall, Whizzer’s nose touching the tip of his chest. Jason noticed they looked positively foolish.

 

“He’s right,” Jason squeaked. “I love Star Wars.” Whizzer sat up, and yanked Jason by the collar, as the little boy had been struggling to push himself up from the position he had gotten stuck in.

 

“That’s because you’re a nine year old boy, Jason,” Cordelia told them, not bothering to look over from her folding of the clothes she liked and didn’t like. There were voices outside, and Cordelia instantly lit up. “That’s Charlotte!” Whizzer mumbled something about not trusting the girl, as a lightbulb turned on in Jason’s mind. He noticed Cordelia was still wearing the jumper, and leapt up. She yelped as he grabbed her hand and tugged her through the dressing room curtain. Charlotte turned from who was speaking to, a groopy of some sorts. A grin spread across her features when she noticed Cordelia stood there like a tree, who was blushing to her roots.

 

“Hey, Delia! I like your jumper,” Charlotte complimented, adding a wink on the end. Jason grinned as he dropped Cordelia’s hand in order to push her forwards. She snapped from her trance, and nodded.

 

“T-thanks. I was just trying on dresses for the Under the Sea dance,” Cordelia explained shakily, the height difference between her and Charlotte noticeable. Charlotte didn’t seem to mind, though. She just kept on grinning dopily, the opposite to how she’d usually appear to be.

 

“Do you have a date yet?” Charlotte questioned, Cordelia giggling softly before shaking her head. The blond ringlets bounced around her shoulders, Charlotte melting so much Jason almost thought she might completely disappear into the floor.

 

“Nah, I’m going stag,” Cordelia told her. “No one wants to ask out the lesbian.” At this, she made exploding motions with her hands around her head, representing the fact that everyone at the school thought she was crazy.

 

“I’d ask out the lesbian,” Charlotte blurted before she could stop herself. Jason glanced back at her friend, smirking when he noticed that she was holding back laughter at Charlotte’s adoring blubbers. “I-I mean-” Cordelia blushed a deep red.

 

“Do you want to go to the dance together?” Cordelia asked, reaching up a hand to tuck one of the loose curls behind her ear. Charlotte stared at her in shock, before nodding wildly.

 

“Yeah, I’d like that. I’ll uh...I’ll pick you up. At seven. So we would like grab pizza before, or something,” Charlotte offered, Cordelia cupping her hands together in order to hide her smile.

 

“That would be radical,” She breathed out, Charlotte watching her happily for another moment before her friend tugged on her jacket. The two bumbled off, Cordelia tittering in her spot slightly. Whizzer ducked his head out of the dressing room.

 

“Cordelia’s going with Charlotte to the Under the Sea dance!” Jason announced proudly, Whizzer groaning dramatically.

 

“Just great,” He grumbled, Delia’s white teeth reflecting the overhead lights. They were stood there for another moment or so, before Whizzer shifted around, and let out a pointed cough. “On an unrelated note, I’ve gotten stuck in one of your unchosen dresses…”

 

***** ***** *****

 

Jason realized that something bad was about to go down when he noticed Whizzer’s eyes flaring up with jealousy. Marvin was deep in conversation with one of the girls Jason had seen playing in Chess club, both leaning up against the lockers as Whizzer neared the exit. Jason, after once again sneaking into the school, had visited him during Gym. Now, Whizzer was directing him out sternly, only to run into his secret boyfriend. Whizzer looked as though he was about to open his mouth, when the girl spoke before he could.

 

“Do you have a date to the Under the Sea dance?” She twirled the strap of her backpack innocently, and Jason instantly felt bad for her. It was clear she was at least two years younger than Marvin, with a hopeless crush on the senior. Marvin glanced up then, and noticed Whizzer standing there. He appeared conflicted, which confused Jason immensely.

 

“No,” Marvin told her, Whizzer’s hand on Jason’s arm tightening mechanically. The child attempted to wrestle from his grip, to no avail. “I don’t.” The girl bit her bottom lip to keep from squealing, her long blond hair bouncing along her shoulders, though it wasn’t the same as Cordelia’s usual glow.

 

“Would you want to go with me?” She asked timidly, leaning closer to him. Whizzer gritted his teeth together at his boyfriend, and Marvin dropped his gaze to look at the girl standing in front of him.

 

“Sure,” He told her, and she grinned at him, before bouncing away. The keychains on her backpack jingled as she left, the girl waving at Whizzer cheerfully as she disappeared down the hallway.

 

“Marvin. Gershwin,” Whizzer growled out, the sound like something straight out of hell itself. Marvin glanced up, and instantly his expression softened. “What the fuck was that about?” Marvin wrung his hands, and shrugged.

 

“I thought it would be easier to go to the dance if we didn’t go together. I wanted to go to the dance so that you could be happy,” He explained weakly, attempting to play the “I Did It For You” card, Whizzer stormed over to him, letting go of Jason thankfully. Jason stumbled after his dad still, though, and watched the scene with a storm brewing in his stomach.

 

“We had plans! We were going to go on a date!” Whizzer protested, face heating up. Marvin didn’t move from his stance beside his locker. “You’re throwing that away because you couldn’t say no to a sophomore? Or is it because you care more about your reputation than me?”

 

“Whiz, I thought you wanted to go to the dance,” Marvin sighed tiredly. “You can take someone else and then we can dance together, or whatever you’d want to do. I don’t care.” Whizzer laughed humorlessly.

 

“I only want to go to the dance if we go together, asshole! What’s the point if we don’t go together?” Whizzer was holding himself back from fighting Marvin, Jason could see. “I want to do stuff with you, not see a sophomore hang off your arm for half the night!”

 

“This is like the only way we could go together, Whiz,” Marvin blinked sleepily. “I’m trying to do this for you. So you can go to the dance like you wanted.” Whizzer looked at him as though he were a stranger.

 

“Are you drunk? Or high? We could go to the dance together, you’re just a pussy who can’t understand the fact that when you’re dating someone, that means that they come above whoever your stupid Chess club friends think you are. I accepted that you didn’t like dances on the condition that you’d take me to dinner and a movie, and now you’re scurrying off to go with some lower classman.” Marvin narrowed his eyes.

 

“If you really care about going out that much, then I’ll just tell the girl I can’t go,” Marvin suggested to him slowly. “I’d be okay with that.” Whizzer let out a hysterical chuckle, and then erupted into giggles.

 

“No! No! Go with your little girlfriend. I don’t need you,” Whizzer commanded him, dismissing him with a wave. “I just wanted us to be regular boyfriends. Is that too much to ask?” Marvin threw up his arms in anger, Jason shrinking against the lockers.

 

“You’re so pissy, Whizzer. Why do you have to be such a bitch all the time? You understand how important reputation is in this school,” He countered. “One of the good things about dating guys is supposed to be that they don’t PMS-” He was cut off by Whizzer’s hand connecting with his cheek. He grabbed at it in shock, his boyfriend breathing heavily.

 

‘I know when you’re upset, you say things you don’t mean,” He whispered. “But you are never excused from saying shit like that. Never.” Marvin stumbled backwards, a hand still on his cheek.

 

“Maybe we should talk about this later,” He requested weakly, Whizzer’s eyes narrowing at him just slightly.

 

“Maybe we shouldn’t,” Whizzer corrected, Marvin gaping at him for a moment. The atmosphere broke, as Marvin nodded slowly instead of disagreeing with Whizzer’s suggestion for the two to break up. Stalking away, Marvin left, still clutching his cheek, most likely off to the nurse’s office. Whizzer had forgotten about going back to his gym class, opting for going back to the house with Jason before locking himself in his room and turning on Britney Spears, though it wasn’t loud enough for Jason to not hear his sobs behind the door.


	8. I Wanna Dance With Somebody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dancing spree, the forming of a new relationship, and the reconciliation of another one.

“Tonight’s the big night! It’s the night of the dance!” Cordelia pumped her fists in the air, Whizzer standing begrudgingly beside her as Jason hopped from one foot to the other.

 

“Yippy,” Whizzer gave her half-hearted jazz hands, Cordelia pulling both him and Jason close to her. She pressed Whizzer’s face against hers, the boy grimacing at the close proximity of a woman.

 

“Cheer up, grumpy pants. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, or what happened to your family dinner, but we’re gonna have fun tonight,” She ordered him. “It’s gonna change _everything.”_ With this, she made a large sweeping motion with her hand, Whizzer’s eyes following it disinterestedly. Jason watched as they landed on the view of Marvin and his date, instantly narrowing in hidden anger. Cordelia let her two boys go, and bent down to pull Jason into a hug.

 

“I feel like tonight might be the night I’ll get to go back home,” Jason confessed to the two. Whizzer pursed his lips at him, and shook his head, eyes still stuck on Marvin’s retreating back.

“You haven’t done everything you need to yet,” He told his son. Jason turned away from Marvin, and a feeling erupted in his stomach. Something good was going to happen. Something absolutely amazing. He just didn’t know what.

 

“I’m almost done,” Jason replied. “And sometimes things just need to happen on their own accord.” Whizzer gave him a strange look, but then moved his angle back to start a conversation with Cordelia.

 

Beside them, Mendel appeared with Trina, their arms linked. Jason slipped away from the now arguing Cordelia and Whizzer, which consisted of Whizzer insulting Charlotte’s choice of flower and Cordelia defending her date.

 

“Are you ready?” Mendel asked Trina, who grimaced at the thought of her friends seeing them walk in together, arm-in-arm. “If you’re not, we can just like... hover by the snack table.” Trina shook her head, and took in a deep breath.

“No, I’m ready,” She glanced down at Jason, and patted his curls. He followed them in, a few students giving the small child strange looks, though mostly everyone was distracted by Mendel and Trina. All of the sudden, it felt like time slowed down. They were strolling down the school hallway towards the gym, Mendel smiling awkwardly at everyone as Trina did the princess wave. Jason just walked beside them, pointing finger guns at random freshmen they passed. He had put on his lab coat before coming, in case anyone spilled punch or blood (coming from a terrifying story his papa had attempted to tell him before his dad went beserk) onto his clothing.

 

They entered the gym, and it was almost like all sound stopped. Trina’s gaggle of cheerleading friends turned to see her, their eyes widening comically. Jason guessed her positive response to Mendel’s dance proposal was supposed to be a joke. Trina held her head up high, still, and led her date onto the dance floor. Mendel looked as though he were about to faint.

 

“How good are you at ballroom dancing?” She whispered urgently to Mendel. Instead of replying, he simply placed his hands onto her waist and led her in a waltz, their hands connecting almost magnetically. Drifting across the room, Whizzer whooped at Mendel in pride as he and Cordelia entered the gym. Jason watched in wonder as his mother and stepfather twirled about the dance floor, Trina marveling breathlessly as Mendel spun her around. After a moment, the crowd began to cheer, everyone forgetting that Mendel was a debate club nerd. The music started up once again, and their ballroom dance turned into just regular partying. The masses surrounded them, and no one seemed to care about their different social standards anymore. Mendel was a bomb-ass dancer, apparently.

 

On the other side of the gym, Cordelia drifted over to the snack table, filling up her cup with punch. When a hand situated itself on her shoulder, she just about spilled it everywhere.

“Calm down, chicka, it’s just me!” Charlotte laughed reassuringly, waving her off. Cordelia pressed a hand to her chest, but grinned toothily down at the greaser beside her. “Were you waiting for me?”

 

“Who else would I be waiting for? You didn’t pick me up like you had said,” Cordelia took a sip from the punch, before making a face. “God, I think someone spiked it.” When she shot an accusing look towards Charlotte, her date threw her hands up in a “Not Me” universal symbol.

 

“My mom took my car permission away after she figured out I was going to the dance with a girl, so I had to walk here. I live on the other side of town, it was pretty far. I’m sorry, Delia,” She apologized, Cordelia waving her off easily. She didn’t mind, as long as Charlotte was next to her now. “Methinks it was that guy who spiked it,” She gestured to Marvin, who was hanging by the back of the Gym. His date had given up on his grumpy attitude, instead choosing to dance with her friends. Silently, Cordelia applauded her. Marvin was a dick.

 

“Methinks you’re right,” Cordelia replied, swishing her glass around. Charlotte bent down, and poured a drink for herself. The two lesbians clinked their drinks together, punch spilling out onto the gym’s tiled flooring. Grinning dopily at each other, Charlotte took a drink to calm her nerves.

 

“Do you want to like get some fresh air?” Charlotte offered softly, hands noticeably shaking around her cup. Cordelia eyed the red solo drink in her hand, and then nodded, a smile overtaking her features. They crept outside, the rest of the students distracted now by Mendel’s break-dancing skills. The breeze flew over them as they stood at the back of the school, still both holding their drink. Charlotte rummaged through her jacket pocket, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

 

“Don’t light those,” Cordelia told her distastefully, wrinkling her nose at the sight of the cigarettes. Charlotte glanced up in surprise, one hand still loosely clutching the pack. “Those’ll kill you.”

 

“They calm me down,” Charlotte explained, but she obeyed, replacing them back into her pocket. Cordelia tutted, and bent down to set her drink on the sidewalk. Charlotte attempted not to stare too noticeably. Cordelia straightened up then, and smoothed down her dress, before gliding over to Charlotte. Digging through her pocket, Cordelia retrieved the cigarettes and tossed them into the trash can beside them. “Hey!”

 

“If you keep smoking, even if it’s just once a month or so, you’ll get addicted,” Cordelia insisted, resting a hand on her hip and watching her date coolly. Charlotte took a sip from her drink, and then tossed it in the trash beside her damaged cigarettes.

 

“I need them, I get fidgety,” Charlotte argued. Cordelia slowly walked over to her, heels clacking against the sidewalk. She rested her hands on Charlotte’s shoulders, pressing their foreheads together.

 

“I’ll calm you down, then,” Cordelia comforted, Charlotte watching her with a shocked expression. “I promise. Anything but destroying your body like that. Those will not calm you down as much as you hope.”

 

“You’d-you’d stick with me for that long? Long enough for me to get calmed down by you?” Charlotte’s voice was quivering, so close to crying it practically broke Cordelia’s heart.

 

“I feel like I could fall in love with you, Charlotte,” Cordelia admitted, Charlotte letting out a small gasp. They both stood there, hidden from the street’s view underneath the back entryway to the school, faces almost colliding. Charlotte inched closer, and their lips were connecting in a burst of timidness. Cordelia’s lips were softer than Charlotte had imagined, her perfume of roses wafting off of her. Charlotte wondered if her lips were chapped. Charlotte pulled back after a moment, Cordelia appearing absolutely dazed.

 

“When we graduate, I want us to go to New York City,” Charlotte rushed out, her date falling into her arms, as Cordelia’s hands had dropped from her cheeks. “You can go to art school, and I’ll go to a regular college. I want us to follow our dreams together.”

 

“If you kept kissing me like that, I’ll follow you wherever you’d like me to go,” Cordelia offered up breathlessly, and Charlotte’s smile was so wide it was brighter than the moon. Charlotte held her in her arms, and their faces collided, the two basking in one another happily.

 

 ***** ***** *****

 

By the time they were halfway through the dance, Jason was fed up with Whizzer’s moping. He grabbed onto his arm, and pulled him into a supply close, carefully avoiding the exit where Charlotte and Cordelia were canoodling. Directing him into the darkened area, he turned on the light, and he motioned for him to wait. Racing over to Marvin, who was talking to one of his Chess Club friends, he tugged on his arm sleeve impatiently.

 

“What do you want, Matt?” Marvin rolled his eyes tiredly, the bags under his eyes heightened by the dim lighting.

 

“I’ve got something to show you,” Jason pushed him pointedly. “I think it’ll really turn your night around.” His chess club friend shot Marvin a weird look.

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Marvin asked him, but allowed himself to be tugged out of the room. Jason threw him into the room, Whizzer glancing up from his flip phone in shock. His mouth dropped open, as did Marvin’s.

 

“Have fun!” Jason waved cheerily at them, and then slammed the door shut. Marvin twisted and banged on it with both of his fists, in an attempt to get his son to open up.

 

“Matt!” He whimpered into the wood, Whizzer watching his ex-boyfriend irritatedly. He made a scoffing noise, and went back to his phone. Marvin twisted around, and rested his back on the door, eyeing Whizzer firmly.

 

“What was that for?” He snapped, Whizzer glancing up from his phone. He folded it back into his pocket, and then covered his chest with his arms.

 

“You’re a fucking idiot,” He replied with, shrugging his shoulder nonchalantly. “Matt’s not gonna let us out because he thinks we’re meant to be.”

 

“He thinks we’re meant to be?” Marvin repeated in shock, before shaking his head. “Dumb kid.” Whizzer narrowed his eyes.

 

“Don’t call my child dumb,” He snarled, Marvin scowling at him in annoyance. Whizzer’s earrings glinted in the dim lighting of the closet.

 

“He doesn’t even look like you,” Marvin accused. “How do you even know he’s not lying? That little punk is absolutely batshit crazy.”

 

“He takes after his father that way,” Whizzer replied, glaring at his ex-boyfriend. “So how’s your date? She better than me yet?”

 

“She abandoned me the minute we got here,” Marvin told him truthfully, Whizzer slumping against the wall with a chuckle. He began to fiddle with the top button of his button up short sleeved shirt, Marvin’s eyes trailing his fingers routinely.

 

“Not a surprise,” Whizzer smirked. “I’m the only one who can stand how much of an asshole you are for more than five minutes at a time.” Marvin looked up from his traveling hand, as he had been caught staring.

“You came with Cordelia,” Marvin commented, trying to change the subject. “No surprise there.” Whizzer shook his head, a grimace coming over his features.

 

“No, we didn’t come together,” Whizzer corrected him. “Her date is Charlotte. They’re making out somewhere, Matt told me. I just hope Cordelia realizes what a bitch she is.”

 

“You’re being such a big hypocrite right now,” Marvin laughed, and Whizzer shot him a confused look. “You’re judging Charlotte by the way she presents herself, and I bet Cordelia’s angry at you for doing that. It’s the same thing she does with me.”

 

“Sometime, you say smart things,” Whizzer allowed him, after a beat or two of silence. “Just sometimes.” Marvin licked his lips, and sucked up his pride.

 

“I certainly did not say some smart things when we talked in the hallway,” Marvin rushed out, Whizzer picking at his nails in disinterest.

“Talking is not the word I would use for that conversation,” He added on idly, Marvin running a hand through his untamed curls.

 

“Whiz, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be such a dick. I know I usually only pay attention to myself, but I really care about you,” Marvin promised, Whizzer still not glancing up from his nails.

 

“Ah, there it is,” Whizzer spoke calmly, almost too calmly. “The lies and the apologies. Jesus, you said this wouldn’t become something that happened every other week, but it does.”

 

“Whiz, I’m being truthful!” Marvin pleaded with him, his voice heightening. “I’m an idiot, you know that!” Whizzer whipped out of his careless stance, eyes flooding with tears.

 

“Damn right I know that!” He shouted. “You’re not an idiot, Marv. You’re fucking smart, and that’s what kills me. Because you insist on hurting me and our relationship like this, but then you manipulate me into not breaking up with you. I’m sick of it! You don’t care about me, Marvin.”

 

“Whizzer,” Marvin trailed off. “Are you crying?” Furiously wiping at his eyes, Whizzer’s shoulders continued to shake as he broke down.

 

“I try so hard, Marv, but you always take down my walls and crush me,” Whizzer sobbed. “Why do you have to do that? Why do you have to make me feel so much?” In an instant, Marvin was rushing to his side, wrapping his arms around his ex-boyfriend.

 

“Look, I know we’re both not perfect, I mean, we both have really bad struggles with masculinity, but Whizzer, I never mean to lead you on or hurt you,” Marvin hugged him close to his chest. “I’ve got this thing with love. Men fight to stay connected, you know? But you’re not like that. I don’t know how to take care of you.”

 

“Then learn,” Whizzer whispered, burying his face into his shoulder. “Please.” Marvin clutched him tightly for a moment, the two breathing in one another, before he spoke into the gross smelling supply closet.

 

“I love you, Whizzer,” Marvin confessed, and Whizzer immediately froze in place. Tentivalty, he gazed up at his ex-boyfriend, who was staring down at him with such a look of unbridled affection he could have melted.

 

“You’re not just saying that, right?” Whizzer murmured. “We’ve had a really rocky relationship compared to other couples.”

 

“Love isn’t a word I just throw around,” Marvin smiled softly, Whizzer straightening up so that he reached his full height. Whizzer watched him for a moment, and then pressed their lips together softly. Usually, in their relationship, the kisses were always filled with passion and heat, though right now, all Marvin could focus on was the fact that Whizzer hadn’t shoved him away at his confession. They moved away, faces still inches apart.

 

“I love you too, Marvin Gershwin,” Whizzer mumbled, breath hitting Marvin’s lips. “It’s impossible not to.” Marvin laughed out of pure joy, and threw his arms around Whizzer’s neck.

 

“Does that mean we can get back together?” Marvin asked hopefully. Whizzer pondered this playfully, and then nuzzled their noses to one another’s.

 

“As long as you can do something for me,” Whizzer agreed, and staring at the boy in his arms, Marvin believed that he’d do anything to stay in that position for the rest of eternity.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can't believe there's one chapter left ! ! i'm super pumped for the story i'm working on right now, lol, but i might post a oneshot or two in between just to smooth back into this


	9. I'm So Excited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cheesy group end title singing, and a travel back to the present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god it's done?? i finished another mult-chaptered fic?? woah

Jason stepped onto the stage, and tapped on the microphone stand. Yanking it down to his height, he then banged a finger against it, a loud screeching noise sounding out through the crowd. About four hundred teenagers turned to look at him then, the music halting as they waited for whatever he had to say.

 

“I uh, I got into this town about five days ago, and honestly it’s been a roller coaster of emotions,” Jason began nervously, small hands wrapping around the microphone. “I’ve learned a lot. But I’ve realized that the time has come that I have to go home. But before I do that, me and the friends I’ve made here would like to say a few things.” He stepped back from the microphone, and Whizzer strolled onto the stage. Cordelia gave a whoop from the back, hand connected with Charlotte as they watched in excitement for whatever he had to say. 

 

“I know that I might come off as shallow and I’ve got deep-rooted daddy issues, but I’d like to announce that I’m running for class president,” He spoke into the microphone, a few cheers erupting from the crowd. He grinned, and then it faltered once he found Cordelia in the masses. “Also, Delia, I know I haven’t been accepting of you and Charlotte, but I’d like to say that from now on I fully support you in your decision to date her. In return, I’m hoping you and the rest of the student body will support me when I annouce that-” He was cut off by Marvin grabbing the microphone, who had snuck out behind him. Whizzer leapt about five feet into the air in surprise, and the crowd collectively prepared themselves for whatever fist fight was about to occur.

 

“-that I’m in love with this boy!” Marvin shrieked into the microphone. “I’m very gay! And I’m in love with Whizzer Brown!” Whizzer flushed bright red, and grinned toothily down at his boyfriend, despite the fact they had cried on one another in the supply closet about ten minutes before. The entire room went dead silent. Cordelia was openly gaping. Jason began to clap wildly, smiling proudly at his two dads. They both gave him looks that exactly mirrored the ones they had shot him after his first theater production. For a moment, he finally saw that they were, though much younger, his father's, and not just idiotic teenage boys. . 

 

Cordelia raced up onto the stage, pulling Charlotte with her. She attacked Whizzer in a tight hug, the boy stumbling back. The two best friends embraced, Cordelia pulling back with a shocked expression still sitting on her face.

 

“I’m amazed, and I’ve got a lot of questions,” She started, Whizzer smiling at her, his lips wavering. “But I’m proud of you. You and this dickhead.” She gestured to Marvin with a tilt of her head. He looked mildly offended. Mendel whispered something to Trina, and the two climbed up onto stage.

 

“Good job, guys,” Trina’s eyes crinkled around the edges, and she set a hand on Marvin’s shoulder. The entire student body then burst into applause, as Trina was their leader, and anything she said was set in stone. “Also, Whiz, I’ve been overjoyed to be your vice president, if you’d let me.” Whizzer beamed, nodding happily.

 

“Sounds like a plan,” He told her, and stepped over. She removed her hand from Marvin’s shoulder to put it on Whizzer’s instead, the two staring at each other, the prospects of a lifelong friendship forming in plain sight. Jason dashed up to Marvin, and grabbed the microphone out of his hand. Turning to the ground, he drummed out a beat onto the stage.

 

“Hit it!” He pointed at the DJ, and “I’m So Excited” began to play. The group on stage chuckled as Jason began to dance in a nine year old way, prancing around the stage.

 

“ _ Tonight's the night we're gonna make it happen, _ ” He sang along, swinging his hips.  _ “Tonight we'll put all other things aside.”  _

 

_ “Give in this time and show me some affection,”  _ Cordelia joined in, pumping her fists in the air. Jason grinned up childishly at his aunt, the two beginning to dance. “ _ We're going for those pleasures in the night.” _

 

_ “I want to love you, feel you,”  _ Whizzer wrapped an arm around Marvin’s waist, jerking them closer together. Marvin smirked at his boyfriend exasperatedly, though it was obviously faked. “ _ Wrap myself around you…” _

 

_ “I want to squeeze you, please you,”  _ Marvin sang, Whizzer giggling wildly. Marvin pressed their chests together, the two boys gliding together in a sort of dance. “ _ I just can't get enough!” _

 

_ “And if you move real slow I'll let it go,”  _ Cordelia held out, the student body beginning to dance along to the friend group on the stage.

 

_ “I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it,”  _ They all screeched together, Mendel shaking his head up and down in a strange motion. Trina burst into giddy snorting at her date’s reaction. “ _ I'm about to lose control and I think I like it.” _

 

_ “I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it,”  _ Charlotte snapped along in time to the music, She and Cordelia weaving back and forth with one another. “ _ And I know, I know, I know, I know - I know I want you.” _

 

_ “We shouldn't even think about tomorrow,”  _ Trina crooned, wagging a finger in Mendel’s face. He tapped his shoes on the ground, taking her hands in his. “ _ Sweet memories will last a long, long time.” _

 

_ “We'll have a good time baby, don't you worry,”  _ Mendel winked, and spun them around in a circle, Trina’s hair whipping around the wind. “ _ And if we're still playing 'round, boy that's just fine!” _

 

_ “Let's get excited, we just can't hide it!”  _ Jason belted, though his voice was higher than the older boys. Whizzer picked him up, and swung him about, in a similar way that his dad would. “ _ I'm about to lose control and I think I like it!” _

 

_ “I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it,”  _ Their peers joined in, Whizzer throwing Jason onto his shoulders. Marvin began to rock his hips, his tie loosening noticeably. 

 

_ “And I know, I know, I know, I know,”  _ The entire crowd and the group shouted back and forth at one another, leaning both ways. “ _ I know I want you, want you!” _

 

_ “I want to love you, feel you, wrap myself around you,”  _ Charlotte took Cordelia into her arms, warbling the lyrics into her ear. Cordelia snickered crazily, the two tilting side to side. “ _ I want to squeeze you, please you-” _

 

_ “I just can't get enough!”  _ Cordelia broke in, the two ripping apart to begin to dance once more. “ _ And if you move real slow I'll let it go…” _

 

_ “I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it,”  _ Everyone threw their hands into the air, and Whizzer hopped Jason from his shoulders. He took Jason’s hands into his own, and they bopped along to the music, Whizzer hunching over to bend down fully. “ _ I'm about to lose control and I think I like it.  _

_ I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it!” _

 

_ “And I know, I know, I know, I know,”  _ Mendel wagged his tongue around, Trina doing the same as they sang the next part together. “ _ I know I want you, want you!” _

 

The gang noticed that the crowd was now dancing on their own, the party back in full swing. Exchanging looks with each other, they dashed off the stage. Whizzer picked up his backpack that he had cast onto the floor at the gym’s entrance, which held inside Jason’s precious skateboard. The music still playing behind them, Whizzer carefully handed the skateboard over to Jason.

 

“We’re following you out, alright?” Whizzer raised an eyebrow, though it was clear he was on the verge of tears. “None of us are ready to say goodbye yet.” Jason nodded, and the realization that he’d miss these wacky high school kids hit him like a ton of bricks. All at once, the group dashed out the front doors, and raced towards the end of Jason’s reign with them. 

 

_ “Ooo, look what you do to me! You’ve got me burning up! Ooo, ooo, ooo, ooo!” _

  
  


Seven pairs of feet pounded against the pavement, the kids racing out to the back teacher’s lot of the school. Jason clutched his skateboard to his chest, heart pounding as they stumbled to a stop. 

 

“I can’t believe this is the end,” Whizzer breathed, after they had waited for a moment of silence. “I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want this dream to end.” Trina plopped down onto the sidewalk, her date tentatively following suite. 

 

“I’ll see you guys really soon,” Jason told both him and Marvin, then twisted around to face his aunts. “All of you guys.” Charlotte and Cordelia exchanged confused looks.

 

“I don’t even understand where this kid came from,” Charlotte laughed, then shook her head. “But you got me and Delia together, so I guess I’ve got respect for you.” She held out a fist for him to bump, and Jason did it with pride.

 

“I don’t think I’d ever name my child Matthew,” Whizzer contemplated, both Trina, Mendel, and Charlotte shooting him strange looks. “Have I not clarified that Matt is my future son?”

 

“Matt isn’t my real name,” Jason shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s Jason, actually. My papa named me, though Whizzer didn't really like that.”

 

“Don’t call me Whizzer in the future,” Whizzer ordered him, shaking his head. “I have a feeling I wouldn’t like that either.” Jason took his dad’s hand, and squeezed it.

 

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” He promised. “I won’t call Marvin by his real name either. I like calling you guys dad and papa.”

 

“Marvin is Matt-Jason’s other dad?” Cordelia gasped, loudly, Whizzer raising an eyebrow down at the nine year old.

 

“I thought you hadn’t wanted to say that,” Whizzer accused him. “You said it would mess everything up.” Jason smiled at him, and let go of his hand.

 

“Just don’t name me Matt,” He grinned toothily, a childish smile that made the entire group of teenagers long to just keep him in that time period for the rest of eternity. “I like my name.” Whizzer pulled him into a close hug, Jason wrapping his arms around his legs. In a moment, the rest of the friends were upon one another, tugging each other close in a group hug. They pulled apart, and Jason set his skateboard down on one of the ramps used to deliver food to the cafeteria. 

 

“Goodbye!” He waved, and the friends stepped back from the platform to give him room. Trina let Mendel wrap an arm tentatively around her waist as she brushed off her skirt and wiped her eyes. “Not forever, though.”

 

“How long will it be until you come into our lives again?” She questioned, Jason reaching down to count on his fingers.

 

“About four years,” He wiggled his fingers upwards. “That’s not too long, I hope. Besides, you’ll see me in a few seconds. As adults, of course.” Marvin grabbed onto Whizzer’s arm, and they held one another close. Taking in a deep breath, Jason focused his attention back on the road in front of him. Dragging his feet against the surface, he wound himself backwards in order to gain enough speed. Smiling over at his friends, he nodded his head once, and shut his eyes tightly. His hands and feet lifted up from the ground, and as he went zooming into the parking lot, he pleaded to the sky to be sent back to his actual time. 

 

_ “Jason,”  _ His dad’s soothing voice bubbled up from his subconscious, no longer rickety and filled with voice cracks. “Jason!” Jason’s eyes snapped open to see both of his fathers hovering over him, watching him with worry. At the sight of his awakening, his dad let out an overjoyed laugh, and threw his arms around his husband. 

 

“I knew it was going to happen, I just didn’t know whether or not he’d get back here,” His dad murmured into his papa’s shoulder, his partner pressing a soft kiss to the tips of his hair.

 

“Of course he had to get back,” His papa wrapped his arms around his dad’s waist, pulling him close. “He’s Jason. He always figures out a way.”

 

“You knew that I went to the past?” Jason gasped out in shock, before pursuing his lips just slightly. “Well, I did tell all of you that I was Whizzer’s future kid.” His dad pulled away from his papa reluctantly, and spun a seat onto the couch. Picking up Jason, he lifted him into his lap and tugged him close.

 

“We knew that Charlotte had made that skateboard,” Whizzer told him truthfully, petting his curls lovingly. “We had to send you back in order to keep the future the same. Also, don’t call me Whizzer. I asked you not to.”

 

“I have to call high school you dad?” Jason raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, he was being scooped off of his dad’s lap and into his papa’s arms, Marvin wrapping him around as though he were some sort of blanket. 

 

“Don’t worry about your dad, he’s just pissy that his nine year old son is already holding his name against him,” His papa joked, then his face turned serious. “Without you going back in time, there would be no you, because none of us would have gotten together. So we had to send you back.” 

 

“It’s alright,” He confessed. “I did have fun hanging out with a bunch of high schoolers. Even if they were just you guys.” His papa raised an eyebrow playfully.

 

“Just us?” He repeated, before faking out Jason by almost dropping him. The nine year old squealed in delight, Whizzer hopping up to protest against his husband.

 

“Come on, the entire family’s waiting out back for the barbeque to start, and even though we knew you were gonna go time-traveling, I still spent hours planning this,” His dad snapped his fingers in his husband’s face, his papa just smiling lovingly at the taller man. The three trudged outside, and as Jason basked in the glow of the 2017 sun, he realized the only thing now on his to-do list was to eat as many hamburgers as possible. 


End file.
